Watch Out for Fake Radiation Preventatives Warns FDA

March 22, 2011

Due to public concern related to the nuclear incident in Japan, the FDA is warning consumers to be wary of drugs falsely touting radiation exposure treatment.

Potassium iodide (KI) has been approved by the FDA to prevent thyroid cancer in people internally contaminated with radioactive iodine, however the U.S. government is not recommending that residents take KI, even as a preventative. The Nuclear Regulatory Commission indicates that no part of the U.S. is expected to experience any harmful levels of radioactivity.

The FDA is warning consumers to be wary of internet sites and retail outlets promoting products that make claims to prevent or treat radiation, these claims may be false and the products may not be FDA approved.

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Alleged Fake Cancer Drug Conspirator Pleads Ignorance

March 21, 2011

Ex-chief of a British pharmaceutical wholesaler, Richard Kemp, pleaded ignorance on the stand when accused of conspiring to sell counterfeit cancer medication made in Singapore to British residents. The Flintshire Chronicle reports that he says he didn’t know he was funding a counterfeit operation when he agreed to bankroll Consolidated Medical Supplies (CMS) and their…

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California Man Admits to Selling Counterfeit Drugs

March 21, 2011

A California resident pleaded guilty on March 17th, 2011 to selling counterfeit drugs, illegally imported from China, on craigslist.com. United States Attorney Benjamin B. Wagner announced that Troy James Taylor, 39, of Elk Grove, CA, pleaded guilty to selling fake drugs from May 2007 through March of 2008 after being caught receiving a package of…

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White House Recommends New Legislation to Fight Counterfeit Drugs

March 17, 2011

On March 15, The White House issued legislative recommendations to Congress and advocated for increased vigilance in the fight against fake medicine. Victoria Espinel, U.S. Intellectual Property Enforcement Coordinator, said on the White House blog that “we are seeking six legislative changes to fight counterfeits drugs, including increased criminal penalties for counterfeit drug offenses, particularly…

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London Residents Suspected of Producing and Selling Fake Drugs Online

March 16, 2011

£1 million pounds of suspected fake medicine was seized by British agents of The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) and three men were arrested in London. Three residencies were raided, as well as a storage unit, in the north and east areas of London where more than 300,000 tablets of fake medications were…

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Judiciary Committee Will Help Stop Fake Drug Sellers Promises Sen. Leahy

March 15, 2011

Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman, Sen. Patrick Leahy (D-VT) said his panel would take up legislation to combat counterfeit medication distribution following a “60 Minutes” story exposing the importation of fake drugs into the U.S. each year Sen. Leahy said he was developing legislation to give the Justice Department stronger tools to fight counterfeit medicine sellers,…

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Judiciary Committee Will Help Stop Fake Drug Sellers Promises Sen. Leahy

March 15, 2011

Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman, Sen. Patrick Leahy (D-VT) said his panel would take up legislation to combat counterfeit medication distribution following a “60 Minutes” story exposing the importation of fake drugs into the U.S. each year Sen. Leahy said he was developing legislation to give the Justice Department stronger tools to fight counterfeit medicine sellers,…

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APEC Meets to Solve Counterfeit Medicine Crisis

March 15, 2011

David Luna, Director for Anticrime Programs in the State Department Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs opened the Asia-Pacific Economic Co-operation (APEC) Dialogue on Corruption and Illicit Trade: Combating Counterfeit Medicines and Strengthening Supply Chain Integrity on March 2, 2011 in Washington, DC. Mr. Luna framed the conference’s agenda for the day by…

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Partnership for Safe Medicines Statement on 60 Minutes Segment

March 14, 2011

Partnership for Safe Medicines Board of Directors’ member Thomas Kubic, President and CEO, Pharmaceutical Security Institute, today issued the following statement regarding last night’s 60 Minutes segment on counterfeit drug sellers. “The global epidemic of fake medicines is a serious public health threat, and consumers’ lack of awareness of it only adds to the danger.…

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Bulk Medicine Theft from Manufacturer in Australia

March 11, 2011

An Australian pharmaceutical company was broken into and robbed of almost 260 pounds of prescription medication on March 7, 2011. The Australian company, Jalco Group, was robbed of 110 pounds of pseudoephedrine and 150 pounds o opioid analgesic codeine estimated by the police to be worth be resold on the street for $43 milion, reports…

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