They’re Not Going to Take It

November 28, 2007

Recognizing the growing threat of the availability of counterfeit drugs worldwide, the Medicines and Healthcare Regulatory Products Agency (MHRA) – Britain's version of the FDA – last week published its first Anti-Counterfeiting Strategy. The strategy sets out the MHRA's approach to combating this threat for the next three years, including the launch of a new 24-hour hotline for reporting suspected counterfeit medicines and devices.

Read More

Taking the Cake

November 20, 2007

In recent weeks, we've heard about a faked FEMA news conference and planted questions on the presidential campaign trail, but a report out of China about a fake government website takes the cake. A story from Reuters earlier this month reports that sellers of counterfeit drugs have gone as far as setting up a fake…

Read More

Time for action on fake medicine

November 19, 2007

A recent newspaper headline caught my eye. It said that in some poor countries a staggering 60 percent of medicines are fake. Thankfully, the World Health Organization, now led by our own very able Mrs Margaret Chan (she was previously Hong Kong’s Director of Health), is trying hard to control the scandalous trade in counterfeit…

Read More

Partnership for Safe Medicines Commends New Anti-Counterfeiting Agreement

October 25, 2007

WASHINGTON, D.C. (Oct. 24, 2007) — The Partnership for Safe Medicines commends yesterday's announcement by the U.S. Trade Representative of a new six-country Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement (ACTA). The purpose of ACTA is to step up enforcement efforts against international counterfeiters.

Read More

Fake drugs worth Rs 5.3 cr seized

September 22, 2007

HYDERABAD: The Drugs Control Administration (DCA) has seized Rs 5.36 crore worth of spurious, sub-standard and illegal drugs from godowns and industrial units in the state in the last few weeks. Ironically, Rs 4.80 crore worth of drugs were manufactured without a valid licence. “A special drive was taken up by the DCA from February…

Read More

Third Chinese drug official charged in corruption scandal

June 25, 2007

China’s resolve to clean up corruption in its pharma industry has intensified as the former assistant to the already-condemned-to-death former drug chief has now been charged. Cao Wenzhuan has become the third former State Food and Drug Administration (SFDA) official to be charged since this corruption scandal first broke last year. By Kirsty Barnes 25…

Read More

Millions Vulnerable to Counterfeit Drugs

June 10, 2006

Rick Roberts knows first-hand about counterfeit drugs. Roberts, an AIDS patient, questioned his pharmacist after injecting himself with a drug that was supposed to help him keep weight on. Almost immediately, he felt painful stinging. He soon found out that the medication was counterfeit. “For me, the most present problem was not knowing and having…

Read More

Pharmacies suspected as Internet pill mills

May 25, 2006

Agents with the State Bureau of Investigation and Drug Enforcement Administration on Tuesday raided two area pharmacies suspected of dispensing drugs based on illegal prescriptions obtained over the Internet. Woody Pharmacy in Mooresville and Woody Pharmacy-Waterside in Denver were closed by the N.C. Board of Pharmacy, and licenses of four pharmacists were suspended. KAREN GARLOCH24…

Read More

Roche issues tips to avoid Tamiflu fakes

May 12, 2006

NUTLEY, N.J., May 8 (UPI) — Roche on Monday released guidelines to help consumers avoid fake Tamiflu, the anti-viral effective against bird flu. Among its anti-counterfeit pointers –which can be found at www.tamiflu.com– the Swiss firm said people should be particularly careful when purchasing the treatment on the Internet, be wary of drugs offered for sale without a prescription…

Read More

Partnership For Safe Medicines Joins FDA Counterfeit Alert Network

May 9, 2006

Pharmacy Expert Says Internet is Key to Fighting Counterfeiters Worldwide

Washington, D.C. (March 7, 2006) � The Partnership for Safe Medicines, a coalition of patient, physician, pharmacist, university, industry and professional organizations, today announced that its SafeMeds Alert System has become a part of the Food and Drug Administration�s (FDA) Counterfeit Alert Network.

 

Read More