News
Senators Propose Stronger Penalties for Drug Theft
A proposal to increase the penalties for stealing medical products by bringing medical theft under the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations law has been brought before the Senate. Supported by Sens. Bill Nelson of Florida, Sherrod Brown of Ohio, Bob Casey of Pennsylvania, Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota, Charles Schumer of New York and Jay…
[...]Weak Health Systems Spread Counterfeit Drugs and Drug Resistant Malaria
Successes from the use of artemisinin combination therapies have reduced malaria-related child mortality in half in parts of Africa. However counterfeit artemisinin drugs with lower than prophylactic dosages are creating resistance and turning the tide against the children of Africa. Karen Masterson reports for The Henry L. Stimson Center that malarial parasites “have neutralized the…
[...]Buying Drugs Online? Beware of the Fakes and the Scammers
Buying medicine online has increased in popularity, but the risks of purchasing online are little understood by consumers. Purchasing from a rogue pharmacy, often indistinguishable from a legitimate one, can put your health and money in the hand of international scam artists that may send you pills that do nothing or make you sicker. Marketwatch’s…
[...]Partnership for Safe Medicines Commends Introduction of Bill to Crack Down on Prescription Drug Theft
The Partnership for Safe Medicines today commended Senators Chuck Schumer (D-NY), Jay Rockefeller (D-WV), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) and Sherrod Brown (D-OH) for introducing legislation to curb prescription drug theft
[...]Sold Medicine by the Millions without Prescriptions, Admits American Lawyer
Pharmacy by 12th St David via Flickr. Robert Smoley, a 59 year-old Miami-Dade lawyer, pleaded guilty in federal court to selling millions of pharmaceutical drugs without prescriptions over the Internet on March 3, 2011. Smoley admitted that he distributed in excess of $48 million worth of medicine through the mail. Federal agents said after accepting…
[...]Counterfeits By Any Other Name Still Endanger Patient Safety, Says World Health Organization and IFPMA
Dr. Margaret Chan Director-General World Health Organizationby World Economic Forum via Flickr. On February 28, 2011, Dr. Margaret Chan, Director-General of the World Health Organization, said that the World Health Organization does not conflate intellectual property issues with those of patient safety in their concerns for counterfeit medication proliferation. Opening the Work Group of Member…
[...]Hungarian Government Increases Fake Meds Vigilance
Hungarian National Anti-Counterfeit Board (HENT) announced that starting March 1, 2011, a new law on counterfeit drugs will increase fines on unlicensed producers and traders to HUF 100,000. The purpose of the new law is to restrict unlawful profiteering and prevent fakes from entering the legitimate supply chain. The new law commissions officials to confiscate…
[...]8.5 Million Fake Tablets Intercepted by UK Border Agency in 2010
On February 25, 2011, the UK Border Agency (UKBA) announced that more than 8.5 million pills were intercepted at the border in 2010. Head of Border Force, Brodie Clark, said “This massive haul makes it clear just how seriously we take the smuggling of fake and unlicensed medicines. As well as stopping drugs, weapons and…
[...]Anti-Counterfeiting Forum in India to Occur on March 4, 2011
On March 4, 2011, a one-day forum on pharmaceutical anti-counterfeiting measures will be held in Mumbai at the Lalit Hotel. Sponsored by FDASmart, a company that trains pharmaceutical manufacturers in regulation and research studies, representatives of various companies that provide anti-counterfeiting solutions for medicine as well as regulatory agents and medicine manufactures will present their…
[...]8% of U.S. Prescription Drugs are Smuggled Via Pharmacy Scams
8% of prescription drugs available in the United States are smuggled via online drug scams involving internet pharmacies that sell to Americans. Val Kennedy, pharmaceuticals reporter for the Wall Street Journal’s Marketwatch interviewed Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Bruce Foucart about the risks of online drug purchasing, and prescription drug smuggling…
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