Policy/Enforcement News
Medicine Delivery Truck Hijacked, Meds Stolen and Meds Recovered
A medicine delivery vehicle was hijacked in the Detroit, Michigan area on December 13, by two armed hijackers. FreightWatch International reported that the van contained a tracking device and the police were notified immediately of the hijacking. When police arrived, the criminals gave up both the driver and van unharmed. In addition police recovered over…
[...]Third Bout of Counterfeit HIV Medication Found
More fake HIV medication has been found, this time in Kenya. The World Health Organization’s Prequalification of Medicines Program (PQM) first discovered fake versions of Zidolam-N, a HIV therapy, in September in Kenya, reports Securing Pharma. The counterfeit medications are of poor quality with visible molding, discoloration and friability. Kenya’s Pharmacy and Poisons Board has…
[...]Law enforcement fake pharmacy website takedown page
Have you seized a fake pharmacy website from a criminal? Turn it into a Public Service Announcement Are you a law enforcement agency taking down a fake online pharmacy website? Don’t take that website offline! It gets lots of traffic from all over the web and unwitting consumers will continue to find it for years…
[...]Counterfeit HIV Medication Discovered in UK Supply Chain
United Kingdom’s Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) admitted that counterfeit versions of two HIV medication have been found in the UK market. Truvada, emtricitabine and tenofovir disoproxil fumarate, is a combination HIV therapy. Orifarm, a Danish supplier of parallel-imported and generic pharmaceuticals acknowledged that their supply of Truvada had been compromised by “the…
[...]Congress Proposes Increasing Penalties for Counterfeit Medicine Traffickers
US Congress proposed a Counterfeit Drug Penalty Enhancement Act to increase penalties for trafficking of counterfeit drugs to reflect the severity of the crime and harm to the public on November 17, 2011. The bipartisan bill was sponsored by Vermont Senator Patrick Leahy, Iowa Senator Chuck Grassley, Colorado Senator Michael Bennet, Connecticut Senator Richard Blumenthal,…
[...]Second Multi-Million Dollar Counterfeit Drug Bust in China
Chinese authorities reported a $315 million counterfeit drug and packaging bust on Thursday November 17, 2011. 16,000 police officers apprehended 1,770 suspects and raided more than 1,400 manufacturing and sales locations, reported AFP. Authorities found banned chemicals, repackaged expired pharmaceuticals and forged qualification documents. Over 100 different formulations from both domestic and foreign pharmaceutical firms…
[...]European States Sign International Counterfeit Medicine Treaty
Russia, France, Germany and other European countries signed the first ever international treaty to combat the counterfeit medicine industry . Developed in 2010, the Council of Europe created a binding international instrument based upon the Right to Life provision in the European Convention on Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms. Signatories of the treaty agree to…
[...]USP to Help Russians Fight Counterfeit Medicine
The United States Pharmacopeia (USP) has released an updated Russian translation of its National Formulary at the Russian Pharmmedobraschenie Conference in Moscow on October 26, 2011. USP is a nonprofit, scientific organization that develops quality standards for medicines. Its National Formulary publishes standards to support the testing of medicinal products and ingredients. In the US, USP’s…
[...]FDA Philippines Warns: Watch Out For Fake Drugs
The Philippines Bureau of Food and Drug Administration (BFAD) helpd workshops in Batangas to educate consumers about the risks and prevalence of counterfeit medicines. BFAD is working on a long-term public education campaign to teach people not to purchase medications from unregulated sources. Rowena Tupas of the BFAD said that counterfeit medications are thriving because…
[...]Medicare Part D Protecting Seniors from Online Drug Scams
Lower costs for prescription drugs for seniors on Medicare Part D has lowered online victims of counterfeit medicine as well. National Association of Boards of Pharmacy executive director, Carmen Catizone, told Fox News, “Thankfully, we haven’t seen as many seniors being taken advantage of [by fake online pharmacies] since Medicare Part D began offering more…
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