Policy/Enforcement News
Matheson and Bilbray Sponsor Counterfeit Medicine Bill
Congressmen Jim Matheson of Utah and Brian Bilbray of California have re-introduced a bill to improve authorities abilities to address the counterfeit medicine problem.
[...]US and Russian Health Orgs Pledge Cooperation Against Counterfeits
United States Pharmacopeial Convention (USP) signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Ministry of Healthcare and Social Development of the Russian Federation on September 22, 2011 to establish a process for the organizations to collaborate to improve drug quality internationally. At a signing ceremony in New York, Dr. V. I. Skvortsova, deputy minister of healthcare…
[...]Canadian Police Warn Residents of Counterfeit Medicines Sold Online
Newfoundland and Labrador police are warning local residents not to purchase medications from unlicensed online vendors. Says Royal Canadian Mounted Police Sgt Boyd Merrill, “The fake pill industry… has sales in the billions of dollars and people in Newfoundland and Labrador are getting scammed as much as the rest of the world,” reports the CBC…
[...]Partnership for Safe Medicines Interchange Speaker Announced: FDA’s Deborah Autor
Deborah Autor, Deputy Commissioner for Global Regulatory Operations and Policy for the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, will speak at the 2nd annual Partnership for Safe Medicine’s Interchange on October 27, 2011, at the National Press Club in Washington, DC. Autor leads a Directorate newly created in July 2011 which includes the Office of Regulatory…
[...]Fake Medicine From China and India Intercepted by UK Border Agency
A British resident was sentenced to twelve months imprisonment for the importation and possession of counterfeit medicine in Northampton Crown Court. Victor Cheke, 42, was convicted of importing packages of medicinal products originating from China and India which were intercepted by the UK Border Agency (UKBA) en route to Cheke. Analysis of the drugs revealed…
[...]Larry Page Knew About Unlicensed Online Pharmacy Ads, Says US Attorney
As part of the Department of Justice’s settlement with Google for $500 million for accepting advertising money from unlicensed online pharmacies, the DOJ has agreed to seal from the public evidence of wrong doing by Google executives, including CEO Larry Page. The Justice Department said that the advertisements led to illegal imports of prescription drugs…
[...]Canadian Doctor Convicted of Bringing Unapproved Medicine Into US to Treat NFL and MLB Players
A Toronto doctor pleaded guilty to felony charges of smuggling unapproved drugs into the US to treat American professional football and baseball players. Dr. Anthony Galea, 51, faces a maximum sentenced of three years in prison and $500,000 of fines and forfeitures, for providing unapproved medical treatments to professional athletes, including players in the National…
[...]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,…
[...]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…
[...]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…
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