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Sally Greenberg, the Executive Director of the National Consumers League, spoke on consumer concerns with counterfeit medications. She reviewed cases of counterfeit medicines that had damaged patients' health and spoke of their outrage and incredulity. She also discussed the fact that doctors can't identify fakes from real medication by looking at them, and that patients…

Anthony J. DeStefano, Ph.D. Sr. Vice President, Compendial Science at the United States Pharmacopeia spoke on technological strategies in protecting consumers from counterfeit medications. DeStefano delineated the many challenges to detection.  Said DeStefano, "About 80% of all active pharmaceutical ingredients are made outside the US, and detection of counterfeit or substandard products is often impossible to detect…

David Chen, Director, Pharmacy Practice Sections of the American Society of Health-system Pharmacists spoke after the morning break on Supply Chain Integrity. Chen spoke about the integrity of the drug supply chain and the stressors that create risky behaviors by consumers.  The stressors are affordability, disruptions, access and shortages, said Chen. The top three areas where…

James Dinkins, Executive Associate Director of ICE's Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) spoke on the risks to Americans for purchasing medications online from fake websites. Dinkins said that the counterfeit medicine industry has changed and become a global industry, exploiting the easy access of technology to take advantage of consumers. Said Dinkins, "Criminals world wide have…

Dr. Bryan Liang, PSM Board Member, and E. Donald Shapior Distinguished Professor and Executive Director of the Institue of Health Law Studies, California Western School of Law introduced Tim K. Mackey, Alsberg Fellow for Safe Medicines.   Mackey, a doctoral student at the California Western School of Law, presented original research on Fake Online Pharmacy…

The Partnership for Safe Medicines is preparing for tomorrow's Interchange by reviewing speaker presentations, preparing materials, and learning about our colleague's efforts to fight counterfeits globally.  Preparations have been made for more than 160 attendees, which include many journalists, patient safety advocates, government agencies, and law enforcement as well as both branded and generic pharmaceutical manufacturers.…