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Counterfeit medicines are more common today than ever. USA Today reports that U.S. Customs and Border Protection seized 200% more counterfeit pharmaceuticals in 2011, than they did in 2002.
Read MoreReumofan Plus Alert by The U.S. Food and Drug Administration via Flickr. This is a reprint of the FDA Alert. AUDIENCE: Consumer, Health Professional, Emergency Medicine ISSUE: FDA is warning consumers that Reumofan Plus, marketed as a natural dietary supplement for pain relief and other serious conditions, contains several active pharmaceutical ingredients not listed on the label that could be…
Read MoreAbstract Poor-quality antimalarial drugs lead to drug resistance and inadequate treatment, which pose an urgent threat to vulnerable populations and jeopardize progress and investments in combating malaria. Emergence of artemisinin resistance or tolerance in Plasmodium falciparum on the Thailand—Cambodia border makes protection of the effectiveness of the drug supply imperative. We reviewed published and unpublished studies reporting chemical analyses and…
Read More(Check out the Urban Dictionary’s definition of "pwned") Websites hacked by rogue online pharmacies this week: May 28, 2012 Every week we receive an email with the newest listings on Google for online pharmacies. In each email there are always a few hacked websites that are now unwitting advertisers for counterfeit drugs. Drug counterfeiters first crack the security on the website,…
Read MoreIn June of 2012, Angola Customs agents conducting a routine search of cargo shipped from China, they found 1.4 million packets of counterfeit Coartem, a Malaria medication produced by Novartis. The resulting seizure of fake drugs would have, if genuine, been enough to treat over half of Angola’s annual Malaria patients. Who: Angola Customs Service. When: June 2012. Where: Luanda,…
Read MoreCounterfeit Adderall Contains Wrong Active Ingredients, Warns FDA Images of counterfeit Adderall courtesy of the FDA.
Read MoreThis is a reprint of the FDA Alert.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration is warning consumers and health care professionals about a counterfeit version of Teva Pharmaceutical Industries’ Adderall 30 milligram tablets that is being purchased on the Internet. Adderall, which is approved to treat attention deficit hyperactivity disorders (ADHD) and narcolepsy, is a prescription drug classified as a controlled substance – a class of drugs for which special controls are required for dispensing by pharmacists.
FDA’s preliminary laboratory tests revealed that the counterfeit version of Teva’s Adderall 30 mg tablets contained the wrong active ingredients. Adderall contains four active ingredients – dextroamphetamine saccharate, amphetamine aspartate, dextroamphetamine sulfate, and amphetamine sulfate. Instead of these active ingredients, the counterfeit product contained tramadol and acetaminophen, which are ingredients in medicines used to treat acute pain.
Read MoreIssues surrounding contraception access have been a national focus. During this debate, adolescent and adult women may seek these products online. Due to safety concerns, including potential counterfeit forms, we wished to assess whether online “no prescription” contraceptives were available.
Read MoreWashington, D.C. (May 24, 2012) – Partnership for Safe Medicines (PSM) president Marvin D. Shepherd, PhD, today released the following statement on the U.S. Senate’s rejection of an amendment by Senator John McCain to allow the importation of prescription drugs from Canada. McCain’s measure failed by a vote of 43-54: “PSM applauds those Senators who are committed to keeping our…
Read MoreWashington, D.C. (May 21, 2012) – Marv Shepherd, PhD, president of the Partnership for Safe Medicines, today released the following statement regarding news that global leaders at the G8 Summit have addressed the growing threat posed by counterfeit medicines: “The commitment to combat rogue online pharmacies made at this past weekend’s G8 Summit reinforces the need to work across borders…
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