NBC news show examines the clandestine business of administering non-FDA approved beauty treatments. The new episode of American Greed, titled “Vanity and Greed: Deadly Beauty”, the NBC show looks at the story of two convicted practitioners of counterfeit beauty treatments. Mississippi resident Tracey Lynn Garner was found guilty of murder in the death of Karima…
Read MoreThe United States has been experiencing an uptick in the number of patients being treated with fake and misbranded injectable cosmetic treatments. Learn more about these cases, which are one of the most common ways Americans are exposed to dangerous counterfeit medications. In June 2014, Elva Navarro, a spa owner in McAllen, Texas, pleaded guilty…
Read MoreWhile participating in an Interchange 2014 panel discussion on criminal prosecutions for drug counterfeiting and drug diversion, Jaime Peña, Assistant U.S. Attorney/Senior Litigation Chief, Criminal Division, Colorado District, U.S. Department of Justice, tells a disturbing story of hospital-based drug diversion. Panel 2 at Interchange 2014, was titled “Patient Safety and Criminal Prosecutions in the U.S.”…
Read MoreThe latest in public service announcements from Partnership for Safe Medicines tells the story of what happens to doctors who make the mistake of purchasing substandard medication. PSM board member Jim Dahl advises physicians Don’t Destroy Your Medical Practice with Fake Drugs.
Read MoreThe second panel of the day at Interchange 2014, titled “Patient Safety and Criminal Prosecutions in the U.S.” featured federal prosecutors who provided insights into their recent counterfeit and misbranded drug prosecutions. AUSA Lindsay Kelly told the Interchange 2014 audience how Gallant Pharma operated. “Their competitors were the other illegal companies. They [Gallant Pharma] were trying to distinguish themselves in that market by saying ‘we actually have offices here, we can give you everything overnight delivery,’ and they had a sales force that actually set out recruiting doctors as patients, just like the legitimate pharmaceutical companies.”
Read MoreIn another public service announcement from Partnership for Safe Medicines warns of the dangers lurking for sale at fake online pharmacy websites. In Super Cheap Canadian Pharmacy, PSM board member Tom Kubic of the Pharmaceutical Security Institute cautions against buying medication from “a Canadian online pharmacy with cheaper prices,”
Read MoreThe Partnership for Safe Medicines is pleased to announce that the organization has been honored with an Excellence Award for outstanding work in the area of nonprofit communications. The Academy of Interactive and Visual Arts gave The Partnership for Safe Medicines the 2015 Communicator Award of Excellence in the category of nonprofit magazine publication.…
Read MoreFake Oxycontin pills actually made with fentanyl responsible for more than 50 deaths in Alberta since the beginning of the year. OpSecSecurity is reporting that Canada is experiencing a dramatic increase in deaths due to the sale and ingestion of counterfeit versions of the painkiller oxycontin. According to OpSecSecurity, there have been three recent deaths…
Read MoreOperation Pangea VIII Takes Action Against More Than 1,000 Purveyors of Fake Drugs & Medical Devices
During The 8th annual International Internet Week of Action (IIWA) led by Interpol, the FDA along with law enforcement from across the globe acted to eliminate the sale of counterfeit medications and medical devices on the Internet. As part of Operation Pangea, the FDA sent close to 400 warning letters to websites offering “unapproved or…
Read MoreSince 2006, at least 86 individuals have been charged with the distribution of black market HIV/AIDS medications to American pharmacies, secondary wholesale distributors and patients. In the face of this threat, patients need the tools to identify questionable medicine and to seek better prices safely.
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