News
Second New Jersey Couple Charged With Selling Counterfeit Drugs
A New Jersey couple pleaded guilty to charges they engaged in the unlicensed wholesale distribution of pharmaceuticals, admitting they sold fake drugs manufactured in India to customers in the United States. Nita Patel, 47, and her husband, Harshad, 53, of Closter, pleaded guilty in Camden, New Jersey, on May 16th, 2011, reported the North Jersey…
[...]Fake Antibiotics Found in Six States
The FDA has issued an alert warning American consumers to be on the look out for look-alike fake antibiotics. Dietary supplements purporting to have antibiotic or antifungal properties that actually contain no antimicrobial ingredients have been found in five states but may be found elsewhere in the US.
[...]FDA: Don’t buy drugs marketed as antimicrobial dietary supplements
This is a reprint of the FDA alert. Fast Facts The FDA is warning consumers not to use products marketed as dietary supplements that also claim to be antimicrobial (antibiotic, antifungal or antiviral) drugs. These illegal products are falsely promoted with claims to treat illnesses such as upper respiratory infections, sinusitis, pneumonia, bronchitis and the common…
[...]FDA warns about counterfeit ExtenZe dietary supplements
This is a reprint of the FDA alert. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration is warning consumers about a potentially harmful product represented as “ExtenZe,” a dietary supplement for male sexual enhancement. The counterfeit product looks similar to the actual product, but contains hidden ingredients that can cause serious harm to consumers. The counterfeit product…
[...]Australians Catch 24 Packages of Fake Drugs Every Month
Australian customs officials in Queensland have stopped 288 packages containing counterfeit medications in the past twelve months, an increase of 7 fold from the previous year. Consumers concerned about costs, or purposefully circumventing the prescription process, have been purchasing everything from weight-loss pills to opiates on line. In many case, the drugs are marketed using…
[...]NABP: 96% of Online Pharmacies are Not Safe for Consumers
The National Association of Boards of Pharmacy (NABP) issued a progress report for state and federal regulators summarizing the overwhelming quantity of internet drug outlets selling prescription medications operating out of compliance with laws and patient safety standards.
[...]New Technology Stems the Rising Tide of Fake Drugs
When a country is large and porous, keeping fake drugs out of the country isn’t as effective as keeping them out of the marketplace with new anti-counterfeit technology, reports Dr. Paul Orhii, of Nigeria.
[...]Recent Dr. Oz show highlights life-threatening consequences of counterfeit Botox
by Dr. Bryan Liang, VP of the Partnership for Safe Medicines
Recently I was on the Doctor Oz show, which highlighted the public health dangers of counterfeit Botox. The danger here is very real as counterfeit Botox has been growing. The number of counterfeits found are continuing to rise, with the FDA opening 20% more investigations over the past couple of years that include Botox. More recently, Chinese Botox fakes have been found with concentrations differing by 500% than stated on its label that use materials that may cause severe allergic reactions. Hence, the real scope of the problem is probably much worse.
If you are thinking of getting a Botox treatment, I recommend following the four simple rules below that were discussed on the show yesterday:
Be an informed consumer
Learn about what are safe sources for pharmaceuticals, and learn how to be skeptical of deals that seem “too good to be true”. When it comes to medications, they probably are. You can learn more at the consumer section of our website.
Know who is performing your treatment
Plastic surgeons, dermatologists, and properly trained opthalmologists and otolaryngologists (ENT doctors) are the only ones who should be injecting Botox. It is possible to get certified to inject Botox without any medical training, but I don’t recommend using these persons because they may lack training in the event of a medical emergency.
[...]Fake Anti-Malaria Medicine Spreads Malaria
Bright Ekweremadu, the Managing Director of the Society for Family Health (SFH) blames “rampant adulteration” of anti-malaria drugs for malaria rates in Nigeria.
[...]New Hampshire Woman Pleads Guilty to Fake Pill Smuggling
Elisane Garcia of Hooksett, New Hampshire, pled guilty to a four-count indictment charging her with smuggling goods into the U.S., selling misbranded drugs, possession of controlled substances with the intent to distribute and money laundering. Garcia paid $45,000 for thousands of pills, known as “Brazilian diet pills,” delivered to her from suppliers in Brazil. These…
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