A counterfeit version of Avastin cancer therapy has been found in the U.S. announced manufacturer Roche Holding AG, a Swiss company.
Vials of the medication were tested by Roche and found to not contain the active ingredients, according to Roche’s Genentech unit, reported The Wall Street Journal.
This is a reprint of the FDA alert. Regeneca, Inc. announced today that it is conducting a voluntary nationwide recall of RegenArouse, Lot Number 130100, because FDA lab analysis has confirmed the presence of Tadalafil making these products unapproved new drugs. Tadalafil is an FDA-approved drug used as treatment for male Erectile Dysfunction (ED). The…
Read MoreClemsford Crown Court sentenced two men who pleaded guilty to advertising and selling prescription only medicines on websites. The two Essex residents, Steven Corbersmith, 35, from Frinton-on-Sea, and Stefa Hazell, 28, from Kirby-le-Soken. ran two websites that illegally sold prescription only medications clomiphene citrate, used for fertility enhancement, and anabolic steroids, reported the UK’s Medicines…
Read MoreOn January 19, 2012, AstraZeneca sent members of Congress a letter supporting legislation to increase penalties for counterfeit prescription drug crime.
The letters were sent to Senator Patrick Leahy (D-VT), Senator Chuck Grassley (R-IA), Representative Linda Sanchez (D-CA), and Representative Patrick Meehan (R-PA), bill sponsors along with Senator Michael Bennet (D-CO) and Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-CT.).
Read MoreThe most potent anti-malarial drug has been found in counterfeit version in 11 African countries. On top of not curing patients sick with deadly malaria, lower than therapeutic doses of the active ingredient artemisinin in the fake meds can cause the parasites to develop resistance to the medication. In essence, the counterfeit drugs are likely to cause a mutation in the parasite, creating a newer, deadlier version of malaria not able to be cured by any known medication.
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The Partnership for Safe Medicines released a video about the recent conviction of counterfeit drug seller Manuel Calvelo on youtube. The video, available here, is narrated by counterfeit medicine victim Rick Roberts, a patient advocate who has spoken about his experience receiving vital life-saving medicines that turned out to be fakes in front of Congress and at the Interchange.
Roberts explains the case of Manuel Calvelo, a Belgian citizen who ran numerous online fake pharmacies that sold so-called generic versions of non-generic drugs that claimed to treat serious health concerns, such as a heart disease, stroke and diabetes. Instead the medicines were tested and found to be fakes by FDA agents.
Read MoreOn the occasion of the silver jubilee of its enactment, the Consumer Protection Act of 1986 was commemorated in Kochi at a function organized on the 24th of December by the Partnership for Safe Medicines – India. Speaking on the occasion, Mr. K.V. Thomas, Union Minister of State for Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution,…
Read MoreFairfax County Virginia police seized thousands of doses of prescription medication from stores throughout the county in early December 2011. Stores primarily catering to the Latino population were found in possession of illegal painkillers, birth control pills, antibiotics and other medications allegedly counterfeit according to police authorities, reported the Fairfax Times. Medications were sold by…
Read MoreA medicine delivery vehicle was hijacked in the Detroit, Michigan area on December 13, by two armed hijackers. FreightWatch International reported that the van contained a tracking device and the police were notified immediately of the hijacking. When police arrived, the criminals gave up both the driver and van unharmed. In addition police recovered over…
Read MoreA rise in prescription drug addiction fuels the internet medicine selling business, with overseas operations luring U.S. addicts to websites where medication is unregulated, and dangerous.
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