News
Overseas Fake Pharmacies Prey on American Patients; Aided by U.S. Internet Companies
A rise in prescription drug addiction fuels the internet medicine selling business, with overseas operations luring U.S. addicts to websites where medication is unregulated, and dangerous.
[...]Third Bout of Counterfeit HIV Medication Found
More fake HIV medication has been found, this time in Kenya. The World Health Organization’s Prequalification of Medicines Program (PQM) first discovered fake versions of Zidolam-N, a HIV therapy, in September in Kenya, reports Securing Pharma. The counterfeit medications are of poor quality with visible molding, discoloration and friability. Kenya’s Pharmacy and Poisons Board has…
[...]Honoring the 5th Anniversary of Marcia Bergeron’s Passing
Five years ago today, Marcia Bergeron suddenly passed away. Marcia thought she had a common virus, but her symptoms were actually caused by the poisonous fake medications, and instead of getting better, she died suddenly of heavy metals poisoning. The coroner’s report determined that Marcia died of cardiac arrhythmia caused by metal toxicity. The…
[...]Counterfeit HIV Medication Discovered in UK Supply Chain
United Kingdom’s Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) admitted that counterfeit versions of two HIV medication have been found in the UK market. Truvada, emtricitabine and tenofovir disoproxil fumarate, is a combination HIV therapy. Orifarm, a Danish supplier of parallel-imported and generic pharmaceuticals acknowledged that their supply of Truvada had been compromised by “the…
[...]Third Consecutive Chinese Crackdown on Counterfeiters
$7 million dollars worth of fake medicines have been seized by Shanghai police, as well as 96 people arrested. MSN reported that more than 70 different medicines were counterfeited in the seizure of more than 5.5 million capsules. Manufacturing of the counterfeit pills occurred in Jiangsu and Anhui provinces, reported authorities, who said that Shanghai,…
[...]Most Common Fake Drugs In US Prey on Chronic Diseases
The National Crime Prevention Council (NCPC) has issued a report warning Americans be careful where they purchase their medications, especially those used to treat chronic diseases like high cholesterol, hypertension, cancer, HIV and bacterial infections. The Center for Medicine in the Public Interest estimates that fake medicine sales in the United States totals $75…
[...]Online Medicine Sellers Take Advantage of Vaccine Shortages
Some vital vaccines, listed as in short supply by the FDA, are advertised and sold online. Researchers Dr. Bryan Liang and Tim Mackey examined the online advertisers of these vaccines to see whether they were VIPPS accredited pharmacies, or if they were unreliable sources.
Alert: Counterfeit Phentermine Found in the U.S.
This is a reprint from Actavis. Actavis Elizabeth LLC is warning consumers and healthcare professionals that counterfeit Phentermine HCl Tablets (USP 37.5 mg) that contain fenfluramine, a dangerous ingredient, have been found in the United States. Phentermine is an appetite suppressant medicine that Actavis has not distributed in the U.S. since 2008 and does not…
[...]Two British Residents Sentenced for Fake Medicine Crime
Two British residents were sentenced for selling counterfeit medication, as well as Class C drugs and unlicensed medications. The Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) of Great Britain announced the sentencing of two counterfeit drug salesman apprehended in Britain as the result of a successful sting operation of their online medicine website. Between May…
[...]Congress Proposes Increasing Penalties for Counterfeit Medicine Traffickers
US Congress proposed a Counterfeit Drug Penalty Enhancement Act to increase penalties for trafficking of counterfeit drugs to reflect the severity of the crime and harm to the public on November 17, 2011. The bipartisan bill was sponsored by Vermont Senator Patrick Leahy, Iowa Senator Chuck Grassley, Colorado Senator Michael Bennet, Connecticut Senator Richard Blumenthal,…
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