Health Professions
Remembering Tosh Ackerman: One of Counterfeit Medicines’ Countless Victims
Two years ago today, Tosh Ackerman of Aptos, CA passed away after taking what he thought was a legitimate prescription pill. Unfortunately, that pill was counterfeit and contained a deadly dose of fentanyl. Tosh is just one of the countless Americans killed by counterfeit medicines. Tosh’s absence is still deeply felt by his family and friends. By taking a moment to remember those we have already lost, the Partnership for Safe Medicines hopes to shine a light on the need to prevent any future deaths from counterfeit medicines.
[...]Safe Savings Tip: Generic Norvasc Is Over 75% Cheaper In The U.S. Than In Canada
People think all prescription drugs cost less in Canada, but is that true? We did a price comparison for amlodipine, generic Norvasc, the sixth most frequently prescribed prescription drug in the U.S. during the first quarter of 2016. When we called a brick-and-mortar pharmacy in Canada, we were quoted the price of $24.62 for a 30-day supply, but we found those same pills at pharmacies in the U.S. for only $5.50…
[...]AmerisourceBergen Specialty Group Admits To Distributing Millions of Misbranded Oncology Drug Products
AmerisourceBergen Speciality Group is part of one of the largest wholesale drug companies in the U.S. and recently admitted in federal court to having distributed millions of misbranded oncology drug products throughout the U.S. over the course of 13 years…
[...]Doctor Sentenced To 40 Months For Distributing Unapproved Medicine
Dr. George Patino convicted and sentenced for conspiracy, distributing Human Growth Hormone (HGH) for unauthorized medical purposes, and smuggling. He brought non-FDA approved HGH over from Mexico to treat patients with it for unapproved medical purposes…
[...]Safe Savings Tip: Buy Generic Abilify to Save Money Safely
Generic drugs can help you to save on your prescription costs. We did a price comparison and a 90-day supply of generic Abilify only costs $96.18 in the U.S. while Canadians do not have a generic version available to them and must pay $372.73 for a 90-day supply of the brand-name version…
[...]Naturopathic Doctor Pleads Guilty to Using Misbranded Drug on Patients
A Port Angeles, WA area naturopathic physician pleaded guilty in federal court to one count of introducing misbranded drugs into interstate commerce. Richard Marschall prescribed human chorionic gonadotropin (HCG) to approximately 60 people for weight loss between February 2014 and February 2017.
[...]Just A Single Counterfeit Pill Can Kill: Understanding The Fentanyl Crisis In The U.S.
Counterfeit pills containing fentanyl have been found in 40 states. Countless families grieve for the loved ones lost to the opioid epidemic. But what is fentanyl? How is it getting into the U.S.? What makes it so deadly? Who does fentanyl threaten the most and how can Americans protect themselves? The Partnership for Safe Medicines has created this infographic to answer many of the questions you may have about fentanyl and its dangers.
[...]White House Opioid Crisis Commission Gives Warning
The President’s Commission on Combating Drug Addiction and the Opioid Crisis has released an interim report that strongly asserts that we, as a nation, are “in crisis.” The first recommendation from the Commission is for a national emergency to be declared. Other recommendations include…
[...]Counterfeit Prescription Drugs a Problem in Canada & Australia
The National Post reports that since October 2015, Health Canada has stopped almost 10,000 packages containing counterfeit prescription drugs at the Canadian border. New reports from a 2010 incident reveal that counterfeit drugs ended up in 260 pharmacies and four hospitals in Australia. Patients were protected by a thorough hospital pharmacist who noticed “it was grittier than normal.”
[...]Doctors Who Purchased from CanadaDrugs.com Must Pay Millions in Restitution
Dr. Kenneth D. Nahum, his oncology practice, and Ann Walsh, his wife and the practice manager, have agreed to pay the U.S. $1.7 million to resolve allegations of violating the False Claims Act. They stood accused of ordering drugs from a foreign distributor not approved to sell them in the U.S. and administering those drugs…
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