Policy/Enforcement News
New Mexico Oncologist Pleads Guilty to Providing Misbranded Cancer Medications to Patients
Dr. Mohamed Basel Aswad of Deming, New Mexico has admitted in court that he purchased misbranded and mislabeled cancer medication from a Canadian medication supplier. On November 4, 2014 Dr. Mohamed Basel Aswad pleaded guilty in an Albuquerque courtroom to misdemeanor charges that he introduced misbranded drugs into interstate commerce, the Department of Justice (DOJ)…
[...]Turkish Police Bust a Source of Fake Cancer Medication Exported to U.S.
Turkish police in Istanbul have arrested 56 as part of an organized crime ring in the business of manufacturing and distributing counterfeit cancer drugs for sale in Turkey and other countries, including the United States. The Hurriyet Daily News has reported that police in Istanbul have broken up a conspiracy operating throughout Turkey that manufactured…
[...]Greeneville, Tennessee Oncologist and Wife Tried Over Purchase and Use of Black Market Drugs
On Thursday, December 12, 2013 a federal jury concluded deliberations on U.S.A. vs. Dr. Anindya Kumar Sen and Patricia Posey Sen. Dr. Sen is an oncologist practicing in Greeneville and Johnson City, Tennessee. Patricia Posey Sen is his wife, who manages Sen’s medical practice, East Tennessee Cancer and Blood Center (ETCBC). The doctor, his wife…
[...]Is it Safe For Americans to Order Life-Saving Medicine From Online Pharmacies Overseas?
Click image to download G-8 Infographic (pdf) The countries of the Group of 8 (G8) have begun to work together to try and fight the global scourge of counterfeit medications. Their efforts are important, as most of the G8 member countries are having their own problems with counterfeit drug crime. In May 2013 leaders from…
[...]NABP Warns: Fake Online Pharmacy Collective Pretends to Be Canadian Pharmacies
The new NABP report warns that a fake online pharmacy collective is posing as individual, but fake, Canadian pharmacies. In their latest quarterly report, the National Association of Boards of Pharmacy calls for strong consumer outreach in response to ever-more sophisticated efforts by fake online pharmacies in disguising the illegal nature of their operations. The July progress report from…
[...]Pangea VI International Enforcement Operation Shuts Down 9,600 Fake Online Pharmacies
Interpol-coordinated global operation targeted fake online pharmacy trade, netted over $41 million worth of counterfeit medication, and shut down more than 9,600 fake online pharmacies. Fake versions of drugs used to treat diabetes symptoms, arthritis, and schizophrenia were seized as part of the operation. 58 arrests have been made. On June 27, 2013, Interpol announced…
[...]Two Men Extradited for Running Fake Online Pharmacy From UK and Pakistan
Two Pakistani nationals have been extradited to the United States for their alleged role in importing misbranded pharmaceuticals and controlled substances worth approximately $780,000 into the United Sates by offering them for sale via the Internet. The drugs were packaged and shipped from locations in the United Kingdom as well as Pakistan.
The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) released a report May 20th on the extradition and arrest of Sheikh Waseem Ul Haq, and Tahir Saeed of Karachi, Pakistan. The two men are charged with “conspiracy to import controlled substance pharmaceuticals into the United States; conspiracy to distribute controlled substance pharmaceuticals; conspiracy to introduce misbranded pharmaceuticals into interstate commerce; importation and distribution of controlled substance pharmaceuticals; introduction into interstate commerce of misbranded drugs, and conspiracy to commit international money laundering. It also includes a forfeiture allegation seeking all proceeds that can be traced to the scheme.”
[...]How To Save Money Safely On Medication – Buy Local, Buy Generic
The Partnership for Safe Medicines recently gained access to a RFP submission from a foreign drug broker, purporting to save money for a Maine employee union. We studied the top 30 medications purchased by this union and price-compared black market foreign pharmacies to pharmacies who possessed a pharmacy license in Maine.
Using legitimate, FDA approved generic saves more than 80% of the cost of the name-brand medication, while purchasing from the black market foreign pharmacy saves less than 50%, while exposing patients to the dangers of substandard, misbranded and counterfeit drugs.
[...]Generic Drug Maker Ranbaxy Settles with DOJ in Adulterated Drugs Case
The US Department of Justice reports that a plea agreement by the US branch of Indian generic drug giant Ranbaxy is the largest ever against a generic drug manufacture. Ranbaxy admitted to selling unapproved and adulterated prescription drugs in the United States.
According to the Department of Justice statement on this case, the drugs manufactured at two different plants in India, one in Dewas, and another in Paonta Sahib. The manufacturers failed to follow Current Good Manufacturing Practices (cGMPs) as mandated by the FDA. In many cases the drugs were not up to FDA standards and degraded much faster than their authentic counterparts. The Department of Justice also reports that Ranbaxy knowingly made false statements to the FDA as to the testing, content and quality of the drugs it sold in the United States.
[...]FDA Releases Video on Counterfeit Detection Device 3
The FDA has released more information about their new counterfeit drug detection device, Counterfeit Detection Device 3 (CD-3). In this newly-released video, Nico Ranieri, the FDA research biologist who developed this new technology talks about how important such innovations are to patient safety.
In
2005, it first occurred to Nicolas Ranieri to try to use the type of
ultra-violet light devices deployed in crime scene investigations in a
hand-held counterfeit drug detection device.
Up to that point, drug testing equipment was both delicate, expensive, and
also required highly-trained scientists to
perform the tests for fakes. Says
Ranieri, “We wanted to find counterfeits, and we wanted to find them as fast as
possible,” reports the FDA.