Pakistani Court Denies Bail in Trial of Men Accused of Selling Counterfeit Drugs

November 12, 2010

The Sindh High Court (SHC) in Karachi, Pakistan, has rejected the bail application of two men who allegedly trafficked in counterfeit medications, according to the Daily Times. The SHC division bench consisting of Justice Gulzar Ahmad and Justuce Imam Bukhsh Balouch decided against issuing bail after hearing arguments from the prosecution against the two defendants, Muhammad…

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Drug Cargo Thefts Threaten Public Health

November 12, 2010

CBS Evening News reported that cargo thefts from trucks and warehouse are on the rise. In 2009, there were 864 reported cargo thefts, more than two per day, and frequency is projected to rise for 2010. The FDA is particularly concerned about prescription drug thefts, calling them “crime that threatens public health,” in a letter…

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TB Epidemic Raises Awareness of Fake Medicine in Tanzania

November 11, 2010

Awareness of the problem of counterfeit drugs is on the rise in East Africa, according to Tanzania’s The Citizen. Starting in 2008, Interpol and the World Health Organization have collaborated on the International Medical Products Anti-Counterfeiting Task Force (IMPACT), a series of anti-counterfeiting raids in Tanzania and Uganda. The news source reports that approximately 20 percent…

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Ghana Workshop Warns of Environmental Dangers Related to Fake Drug Disposal

November 11, 2010

One of Ghana’s ministries recently held a workshop regarding the possibility of bodies of water being contaminated by counterfeit drugs. The Ministry of Environment, Science and Technology held the workshop, titled “Drugs and the Environment: The Development Country Perspective,” as part of the 10th Annual Meeting of the International Society of Pharmacovigilance (ISoP), according to…

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Russian Man Accused of Running Online Pharmacy Promoter Claims Innocence

November 10, 2010

The Russian man accused of running a website responsible for a large percentage of the world’s online pharmacy spam has claimed his innocence, according to the Chicago Sun-Times. Igor Gusev, 31, is the subject of an ongoing investigation by Russian authorities who believe he was responsible for paying spammers to advertise online pharmacies that sold erectile…

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Zambian Pharmacist Calls on Government to Empower Regulatory Agency

November 10, 2010

A Zambian pharmacist has called on the government to empower the agency in charge of issues relating to counterfeit drugs in the country, reports the Zambia Post. “The Pharmaceutical Regulatory Agency needs to be equipped properly. It is a professional body that works very hard to check on the quality of medicines the Zambian patients consume.…

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Personal Computers Hijacked for Online Pharmacy Promotions

November 9, 2010

Online pharmaceutical spam organization, Spamit.com, has been implicated in the use of Bredolab, a botnet that hijacked personal computers to use to spread spam. KrebsOnSecurity reported that Georg Avanesov, age 27, was arrested by Armenian police on suspicion of being the curator of Bredolab, a botnet that has infected approximately 3 million computers a month.…

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U.S. Food and Drug Administration Sends Warning Letter to Illegitimate Online Pharmacy

November 9, 2010

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has sent a warning letter to an online pharmacy accused of selling controlled and unapproved substances in violation of the Federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act (FFDCA), according to a press release. The pharmacy, Rx-promotion, reportedly operates nearly 300 internet domain names, through which it sells and dispenses medications with…

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Malaria Report: New Strains, New Treatments, New Counterfeits

November 8, 2010

Three new studies highlight the hopes and fears of parents across the globe.  

A new study conducted by Dr. Nicholas White of Mahidol University in Bangkok, Thailand shows a significant reduction in mortality and gives hope for children with severe malaria.  

Meanwhile a study from the U.S. Agency for International Development details the pervasive infiltration of ineffective counterfeit malarial drugs.

And another study by researchers of malaria in Indonesia has found a new genetic mutation in the disease.

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India High Court Rules Malarial Drug Test Kits are Pharmaceutical Products

November 8, 2010

In Chennai, India, the Madras high court rules that malaria testing kits are pharmaceutical products, subject to the Drugs and Cosmetics Acts. It has ordered a detailed probe into the sale of fake malaria detection kits to city hospitals, and has asked the central and state governments to launch a campaign to spread awareness about…

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