Congress Proposes Increasing Penalties for Counterfeit Medicine Traffickers

November 22, 2011

US Congress proposed a Counterfeit Drug Penalty Enhancement Act to increase penalties for trafficking of counterfeit drugs to reflect the severity of the crime and harm to the public on November 17, 2011. The bipartisan bill was sponsored by Vermont Senator Patrick Leahy, Iowa Senator Chuck Grassley, Colorado Senator Michael Bennet, Connecticut Senator Richard Blumenthal,…

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Need Help Paying for Prescription Meds?– Here Are Ways to Help

November 21, 2011

Don’t turn to shady online vendors of medicine when you need cheaper prescription medication. You don’t know what you’ll get from a fake online pharmacy: it could be anything from deadly poison to absolutely nothing.

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Second Multi-Million Dollar Counterfeit Drug Bust in China

November 21, 2011

Chinese authorities reported a $315 million counterfeit drug and packaging bust on Thursday November 17, 2011. 16,000 police officers apprehended 1,770 suspects and raided more than 1,400 manufacturing and sales locations, reported AFP. Authorities found banned chemicals, repackaged expired pharmaceuticals and forged qualification documents. Over 100 different formulations from both domestic and foreign pharmaceutical firms…

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FREE WEBINAR: Protecting Clinic Patients from Counterfeit Drugs

November 17, 2011

In this free webinar, drug safety expert Bryan A. Liang will talk about specific and concrete ways clinics can protect their patients from counterfeit drugs.

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Where to Buy Smoking Cessation Medications Safely Online For the Great American Smokeout

November 16, 2011

November 17 is the 36th Great American Smokeout encouraging smokers to use the date to quit smoking, sponsored by the American Cancer Society. It’s a great time to quit smoking, but consumers need to avoid buying counterfeit smoking cessation medication from fake online pharmacies.

Not all online sources for smoking cessation aids are legitimate sources. Learn more about where to buy and where not to buy here.

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Medicine Counterfeiters Faking Drugs With Chemical Pigments and Animal Feed

November 15, 2011

In an update to November 8, 2011 news that Chinese authorities capture 65 million fake pills in a crackdown on Chinese counterfeiters, new sources now say that along with the fake medications, questionable and dangerous ingredients were found on sites. Animal feed and chemical pignments were found, as well as corn starch, reported The Associated…

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Recent Nabbing of Fake Drugs in China Reminds Consumers Fake Drugs Can Be Made Anywhere

November 14, 2011

Investigators have discovered counterfeit medications made all over the world, from Ecuador to Montreal.

While the world is still reeling from the news that 65 million bottles of fake medicine were confiscated in manufacturing and warehouse sites in Henan Province, China, officials remind consumers that counterfeit medications are made world-wide

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European States Sign International Counterfeit Medicine Treaty

November 14, 2011

Russia, France, Germany and other European countries signed the first ever international treaty to combat the counterfeit medicine industry . Developed in 2010, the Council of Europe created a binding international instrument based upon the Right to Life provision in the European Convention on Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms. Signatories of the treaty agree to…

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USP to Help Russians Fight Counterfeit Medicine

November 11, 2011

The United States Pharmacopeia (USP) has released an updated Russian translation of its National Formulary at the Russian Pharmmedobraschenie Conference in Moscow on October 26, 2011. USP is a nonprofit, scientific organization that develops quality standards for medicines.  Its National Formulary publishes standards to support the testing of medicinal products and ingredients.  In the US, USP’s…

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2.5 Million Packages of Fake Drugs Sold In Ukraine in 2010

November 10, 2011

Ukrainian authorizes announced that of the 1.2 billion packages sold in country in 2010, 2.5 million were fake medications. Most medications were antibiotics and hormone drugs that bore counterfeit labels from well-known drug manufacturers, and almost 50% of the counterfeit medications were purchased from the internet according to Intelvlas, reported Petosevic. Ukrainian authorities say they…

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