China releases the names of 33 counterfeit drugs in circulation

China released the names of thirty-three counterfeit medications on the loose. The State Food and Drug Administration (SFDA) disclosed on August 17 that thirty-three counterfeit medicines are circulating in the country and urged local and regional governments to vigilantly monitor local pharmacies and medical institutions for counterfeit copies of trademarked medications. Tongrentang (TRT), a prestigious…

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$12M in Counterfeit Drugs Seized in Southeast Asia

View larger map An international police operation led to the seizure of $20M in counterfeit and illegal medicines, including antibiotics, anitimalarials, contraceptives, anti-tetanus vaccines, aspirin and drugs to treat erectile dysfunction. An estimated $12M were counterfeits with the remaining $8M found to be drugs that were “expired, diverted or unregistered.” Who: Medical Products Counterfeiting and…

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Heparin Havoc Continues

Bryan A. Liang, MD, PhD, JD

It looks as though the problems from China-sourced heparin are far from over.  An unknown substance, similar in chemical makeup to heparin, has been found in batches of the blood thinner produced by U.S.-based Baxter International and Germany-based Rotexmedica. 

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Time for action on fake medicine

A recent newspaper headline caught my eye. It said that in some poor countries a staggering 60 percent of medicines are fake. Thankfully, the World Health Organization, now led by our own very able Mrs Margaret Chan (she was previously Hong Kong’s Director of Health), is trying hard to control the scandalous trade in counterfeit…

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Third Chinese drug official charged in corruption scandal

China’s resolve to clean up corruption in its pharma industry has intensified as the former assistant to the already-condemned-to-death former drug chief has now been charged. Cao Wenzhuan has become the third former State Food and Drug Administration (SFDA) official to be charged since this corruption scandal first broke last year. By Kirsty Barnes 25…

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