News
Suspicious Botox and Laser Treatments Delivered at Hand of Fake Doctor, Indictment Accuses
A Utah Grand Jury returned 26 counts of mail and wire fraud against two Utah residents allegedly involved in a cosmetic surgery business operating without a supervising doctor and selling medications without prescriptions or medical oversight. Potentially sentenced to 30 years imprisonment and $1 million fine for each count of mail fraud, William Ricker Ferguson,…
[...]Drug Dealers Making Counterfeit Medicines in Ghana
Ghana’s Food and Drugs Board (FDB) is investigating a link between illicit drug sellers and counterfeit medicine manufacturers. FDB is following up an investigation began by the German Crime Investigations Department, reports Peace FM. Said James Lartey, Head of Communications for the FDB, “So what is happening now is that many of [drug dealers] prefer…
[...]Google Settlement A Positive First Step In Ensuring Safety of U.S. Drug Supply
Ten of the fifteen largest online advertising companies have no policy prohibiting unlicensed pharmacy ads The Partnership for Safe Medicines, a non-profit dedicated to curbing counterfeit drugs, today released the following statement regarding news Google will pay a $500 million fine for allowing illegal online pharmacies to advertise to U.S. consumers through its Adwords program:…
[...]Equal Crimes, Unequal Times
Did you know? Criminals convicted of distributing counterfeit medicine to unsuspecting patients in need are often sentenced to only a fraction of the time traditional drug dealers serve. Counterfeit medicines can be extremely dangerous, even fatal, to unsuspecting patients. Authorities have seized counterfeit pills containing floor wax, brick dust and lead-based paint.
[...]Hijacked Websites Give False Sense of Security for Online Pharmacy Clients
1/3 of every online search for prescription drug information is redirected to illicit online drug sellers. Legitimate websites are invaded by hackers who put code into the website that re-directs to a fake online pharmacy. Meanwhile, the legitimate website shows up in the search results, giving the potential customer comfort from a trustworthy brand, who…
[...]International Business Times sheds light on connection between the gray market for medicines and fake online pharmacies
In a lengthy article touching upon two key recent reports on drug shortages in the U.S., the International Business Times points to the expanding presence of criminals looking to turn a profit at the expense of customers’ wallets and possibly patients’ safety.
[...]Growing Concern for Counterfeit Drugs In Caribbean
The Caribbean Association of Pharmacists is raising the concern that counterfeit medicines are being trafficked throughout Latin America and the Caribbean. Reports CARIBARENA Antigua, Algernon Roberts, President of the Antigua Pharmaceutical Society says that counterfeit drug trafficking is treated more leniently and is easier to accomplish than illicit drug trafficking. “Trafficking in counterfeit drugs is…
[...]8,000 Fake Pills Seized in Cincinnati
In a swell of 1,000 pounds of fake, illegal substances intercepted this year, U.S. Customs and Border Protection seized a package of counterfeit medicine containing 8,000 pills falsely identified as “harmless generic medicine.” Reports the Business Courier, officers inspected the package from India and found it contained counterfeit medication with the active ingredient tadalafil, which…
[...]Stop Counterfeiters From Putting Children in Danger
The World Health Organization estimates that 50% of medicines sold over the internet from sites that conceal their physical address are counterfeit. Parents, these 10 tips will help you protect your children from these potentially dangerous products.
[...]Doctor Uses Unapproved Drugs, Bilks Medicare
Isabella Martire, MD, of Laurel, MD, an oncologist, pleaded guilty to introducing an unapproved drug to interstate commerce on August 8th, 2011, after purchasing nearly 200,000 doses of medication meant for distribution in Turkey, and not approved for use in the United States. In 2010, federal agents began investigating an English pharmaceutical wholesaler that was…
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