A Campaign to Spread the Word About Fake Pill Deaths in the Central Valley of California

January 13, 2021

When the Central Valley Opioid Safety Commission contacted us about helping them promote a public safety message about the dangers of counterfeit pills made with fentanyl, of course we said yes. Their 30-second spot featured the family of Travis Jacobson, a young Californian who was tragically killed by a fake Xanax pill that turned out to be lethal. We at PSM were happy to underwrite both the direct costs and the labor costs of such an important public health message. 

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Counterfeit Medicine News, December 22, 2020 – January 8, 2021

January 11, 2021

PSM’s round-up this week closes out 2020 with hundreds of thousands of counterfeit surgical masks, scammers cashing in on COVID-19 vaccines with fake Eventbrite listings, fake cancer treatments, and more.

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Florida Abandons Its Safety Promises in its Drug Importation Plan

January 11, 2021

Watch our two minute video and read this post to learn how Florida’s importation plan fails to meet federal requirements, its own requirements, and promises supporters made during the legislative process.

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Team player Taylor Martinek lost his life to a fake oxycodone

January 7, 2021

24-year-old Taylor Martinek died of fentanyl poisoning in 2017, after he took an oxycodone pill that turned out to be counterfeit. Since then, his family has been trying to change Oregon law to increase penalties for dealers who cause deaths like Taylor’s.

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Methanol-Contaminated Rubbing Alcohol Recalled by FDA

January 4, 2021

This is a reprint of an FDA Alert. Essaar Inc. Issues Voluntary Nationwide Recall of Rubbing Alcohol Contaminated with Methanol When a company announces a recall, market withdrawal, or safety alert, the FDA posts the company’s announcement as a public service. FDA does not endorse either the product or the company. Company Name:Essaar Inc.Company Contact…

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Welcome to 2021. Here’s the next 6 months in counterfeit medicine news.

January 4, 2021

If you’re a reporter who covers healthcare and especially public health issues, this is what we think you should be watching for in the next six months of a better 2021

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Counterfeit Medicine News for the Week of December 14, 2020

December 21, 2020

In PSM’s round-up this week: Make sure you’re getting the REAL COVID-19 vaccine, plus prosecutions and seizures involving dangerous supplements, a fake online pharmacy and a variety of counterfeit pills.

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Importation 101 for 2021

December 14, 2020

Many advocates and legislators are considering whether to pursue Canadian drug importation in 2021, but importation is not and never has been a viable option.

Watch our video to learn the basics and for an update on four states that have been trying to move forward with this idea.

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Fake COVID test kits coming our of a foil packet

Counterfeit Medicine News for the Week of December 7, 2020

December 14, 2020

In PSM’s round-up this week: ongoing COVID-19-related fraud, Europol’s Operation Shield, and counterfeit pill news in six states.

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Boxes of masks seized in Chicago

PSM Applauds Senate Passage of the Safeguarding Therapeutics Act

December 9, 2020

The Partnership for Safe Medicines (PSM) applauds the passage of H.R. 5663 – the Safeguarding Therapeutics Act. The bipartisan bill, introduced by Congressman Brett Guthrie (KY-02-R) and Congressman Eliot Engel (NY-16-D), was passed via unanimous consent in the Senate on December 8th.

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