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Researchers Bryan Liang and Timothy Mackey from the California Western School of Law and the University of California, San Diego, found that 90% of the top-selling medications are advertised by illegal online pharmacies promoting their sales without a prescription on social media websites.
Using the 10 highest grossing drugs of 2009, they found that 90% of these drugs had a non-corporate social media marketing presence by illegal online drug sellers, fake pharmacies marketing the sale of prescription drugs without a prescription and that are not verified by the National Association of Boards of Pharmacy Verified Internet Pharmacy Practice Sites (VIPPS) program.
When they expanded their research to include the top 20 globally marketed medicines 80% of the top 20 products were marketed either by advertising or linking to illegal online drug sellers using social media with pictures and direct links to illicit sellers.
Of those social media sources, Facebook alone accounted for 60% for the top 10 drugs and 50% for the top 20.
According to a Washington Post editor, the Protect IP Act, introduced by Senator Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.), could protect American consumers against counterfeit medicines. If passed, the proposal would allow the Justice Department to move against any foreign website that infringes on copyright or trademarks – like the rogue online “pharmacies” that sell harmful fake medicines. Ninety-six percent of these purported…
Read MoreIn a lengthy article touching upon two key recent reports on drug shortages in the U.S., the International Business Times points to the expanding presence of criminals looking to turn a profit at the expense of customers’ wallets and possibly patients’ safety.
Read MoreWhat percentage of U.S. children and teens are currently taking medicine on a regular basis? What is the most widely prescribed medicine for children? How many online pharmacies are in operation? How pervasive is the counterfeit medicine problem globally and why is the problem so much worse outside the U.S.? Parents, these answers may surprise you, and they could have implications for your own children. Counterfeit medicine is becoming increasingly prevalent around the world, and many criminals are using fake online pharmacies to distribute potentially dangerous products. Take the quiz and learn more.
Read MoreParents News Now highlights PSM’s new report: “A Risky Proposition,” that examined how opening U.S. markets to drug importation could exacerbate the problem of fake online pharmacies selling counterfeit medicines to kids.
Read MoreA new report from Carnegie Mellon University echoes the findings of the recent NABP report on online pharmacies. A growing number of illegal online pharmacies are flooding the Web trying to sell dangerous unauthorized prescriptions, according to a new report from cybersecurity experts at CMU.
Read More“Counterfeiters do not take the patient’s age, weight, or development into consideration when selling fake or sub-standard forms. Moreover, they are not interested in whether the child is taking other medications or if the combination of them will result in an adverse reaction.”
Read MoreBy Dr. Marv Shepherd President, Partnership for Safe Medicines More than ever, American consumers are turning to the Internet to purchase goods at discounted rates. However, the online search for deals has taken a dangerous turn, as consumers look for cheap prescription medicines online at what appear to be legitimate pharmacies. Unfortunately, many people are unaware that, in reality, these…
Read More78% of all email is spam, and of that 66% is fake pharmacy spam. But the danger isn’t a clogged inbox: it’s dangerous fake medicine and computers disabled by viruses. While more than 50% of all email is fake pharmacy spam, this is better than it used to be. Drug spam alone used to be 85% to 80% of all…
Read MoreThe percentage of “online pharmacies” deemed legitimate through the National Association of Boards of Pharmacy’s accreditation program is staggeringly low. Only 59 of 8,353 online pharmacies – or 0.7% – meet the criteria to be VIPPS-accredited. What are the risks associated with medicines ordered from non-accredited so-called pharmacy sites? Many fake online pharmacies offer foreign, non-FDA-approved drugs, operate out of…
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