Policy/Enforcement News
Illinois Man Convicted of Shipping Meds for Fake Online Pharmacy
An Illinois resident pleaded guilty in Federal Court to conspiracy to distribute and dispenses Schedule III and IV controlled substances and to illegal use of a communication facility to facilitate a drug crime by shipping drug orders for fake online pharmacy customers. Steven B. Immergluck, 35, of Aurora, IL, pleaded guilty without a trial. Immergluck…
[...]Owner of Rogue Pharmacy Network Arrested for Employing Hackers
Pavel Vrublevsky, co-owner of Rx-Promotion, a rogue online pharmacy affiliate network, as well as ChronoPay, the largest online payment processor in Russia, has been arrested by Russian authorities for allegedly hiring a hacker to attack a rival payment processing company. Russian state news, Vesti, reports that Vrublevsky allegedly hired a hacker who debilitated the current…
[...]Pharmaceutical Drug Crime Rising, But At A Slower Place
Since completion of its annual review of the incidence of pharmaceutical crime including the counterfeiting, illegal diversion and theft of medicines, the Pharmaceutical Security Institute has been engaged in briefings of drug regulators around the world.
[...]Fake online pharmacies US Congressional briefing, Thursday June 23, 2011
Many “online pharmacies” are not pharmacies at all – they are large criminal organizations that make money by selling fake drugs with little or no active ingredient. They are widely advertised through email spam and have convincing sounding names like “Trusted Pharmacy Co, UK.” But they are not real pharmacies accredited by the National Association of Boards of Pharmacy, nor their products regulated by the FDA. These criminal enterprises usually reside in countries with little ability to enforce fraud and counterfeiting laws.
To provide insights into this important public health matter, the Partnership for Safe Medicines and Senator Chris Coons hosted a briefing for members of Congress and their staff at the US Capitol Visitors Center. You can watch the briefing below by pressing play, or watching it on YouTube.
[...]United Nations Focusing on Counterfeit Medicine Trade in West Africa
United Nations officials working with African government ministers and Interpol representatives pledged to fight drug trafficking and organized crime, focusing on counterfeit medicine production and trade throughout West Africa, in Dakar on June 20, 2011. The inaugural session of the High-Level Policy Committee of the West Africa Coast Initiative was filled with discussion about how…
[...]Conspirators Sell Counterfeit Medicine Over Email and Craigslist
A Maryland man has been implicated as an alleged partner to the Waldorf woman arrested for allegedly selling counterfeit medication out of her house. 34 year old Dwayne Skiles was charged with trafficking in counterfeit goods according to an unsealed complaint, reports The Washington Examiner. According to the complaint issued by the District Court of…
[...]Bahrain Customs Go After Online Drugs
Bahrain’s customs officers are now strictly screening medications delivered via the mail to Bahrain residents. The Health Ministry pharmacy and drug control director Sahar Al Qahtani said that they are cracking down on potentially harmful counterfeit drugs and herbal remedies not licensed for use in Bahrain. Recipients of medication packages are now brought in for…
[...]Online Pharmacy Owner Sentenced to 7 Years in Fake Drug Distribution Conspiracy
An online pharmacy owner, operating out of Texas, was sentenced to seven years in federal prison for trafficking and attempting to traffic in counterfeit medicine, specifically fake versions of the pharmaceutical weight loss drug known as Alli that contained a dangerous substitute ingredient that caused stroke in one victim. The U.S. Department of Justice issued…
[...]Rogue Internet Pharmacy Owner Gets 48 Months in Prison, Canadian Partner is a Fugitive
On June 3, 2011, an internet pharmacy owner that solid misbranded and counterfeit drugs, as well as controlled substances, was sentenced to 48 months in federal prison. The other half of the partnership, his Canadian co-conspirator, is wanted by officials. Manuel Calvelo, 37, a Belgian citizen, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy…
[...]Patients Awaken During Surgery with Fake Anesthetics
Fake vials of surgical anesthetics have been found in the marketplace in Birtangar, Nepal, after a patient awoke mid-gallstone surgery. A patient awoke during a gallstone removal procedure in a private hospital in Biratngar, five minutes after being administered with the anesthetic, Vacuron. Doctors notified authorities who found fake vials of the anesthetic in the…
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