October 7, 2024: DEA warning - Dozens of fake online pharmacies sold millions of fake pills to customers in all 50 states
Major Stories
18 individuals indicted for their roles for making and selling millions of fake pills.
The U.S. Attorney with the Department of Justice’s (DOJ) Southern District of New York, announced an indictment against 18 individuals for allegedly manufacturing and distributing millions of counterfeit pills to the public via dozens of fake online pharmacies.
In response to the DOJ’s announcement, both the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) each issued their own warnings about fake online pharmacies. The CDC warned of the potential public health risk to individuals purchasing counterfeit medicine from online pharmacies, and the DEA noted that it has seen an increase in illegal online pharmacies selling and shipping counterfeit pills made with fentanyl and methamphetamine to unsuspecting customers in the U.S. who thought they were purchasing from legitimate pharmacies.
Image of fake pharmacy website used to sell counterfeit pills. Source: DOJ
Domestic News
Potential patient harm concerns continue for the FDA.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) published information on why the agency has concerns about unapproved GLP-1 drugs used for weight loss, including compounded and illegally marketed versions of the drugs. As of August 31, 2024, the FDA has received 346 adverse event reports for compounded semaglutide and 13 adverse event reports for compounded tirzepatide.
Good Morning America ran a segment in which Eli Lilly discussed what the company is doing to protect patients from counterfeit medications, such as Mounjaro and Zepbound.
The founder and CEO of a company that marketed stem cell treatments linked to 19 hospitalizations received a 36-month prison sentence after he pleaded guilty to distribution of an unapproved drug.
A Michigan man headed to federal prison after police seized a pill press earlier this year that the man was using to make counterfeit Adderall pills.
Image demonstrating dosage error reported by patients using compounded semaglutide. Source: FDA
International News
Patient harmed by fake Ozempic in Australia. Bail denied for alleged leader of a fake cancer drug ring in India.
Australia’s Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) issued a warning about counterfeit Ozempic pens making their way into the country. TGA received one adverse events report from an individual who used a fake Ozempic pen that contained insulin.
The High Court in Delhi denied bail for Viphil Jain, the man accused of leading a counterfeit cancer medication trafficking ring.
A report released by Indian health regulators confirmed that 77,000 counterfeit antibiotic pills were distributed to patients at the Government Medical College and Hospital in July and August of last year.
An international drug trafficker received a 20-year prison sentence in the United Kingdom. This man was central to a conspiracy to manufacture and sell 28 million counterfeit Valium pills made with etizolam.
Image of counterfeit Ozempic pens. Source: Australia's Therapeutic Goods Administration