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Medical Sales Representative Caught Selling Fake Flu Vaccines View larger map What: The National Bureau of Investigation in the Philippines caught a former medical sales representative selling fake Vaxigrip – a flu vaccine – throughout the country. When: July 28, 2009 Where: The Philippines, including the cities of Manila and Makati, as well as the Laguna province. Who: Sanofi…
Read MoreView larger map What: More than two million counterfeit insulin needles were found in established European distribution channels. When: July 1, 2009 Where: Netherlands, Poland and the United Kingdom How: A Dutch company purchased insulin needles from a wholesaler in Malaysia, which claimed the needles came from Iran. The needles were subsequently distributed throughout the UK and Poland. Who: Novo…
Read MoreView Larger Map What: A batch of counterfeit insulin pen needles emulating those made by Novo Nordisk were discovered in the United Kingdom. According to the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation in England, “the needles were not made by Novo Nordisk, the manufacturer of NovoFine® and do not comply with the company’s stringent product quality standards.” When: March 27, 2009…
Read MoreView Larger Map What: Counterfeit drugs, including antibiotics, contraceptives and blood pressure medications were seized in Indonesia. Counterfeit lifestyle drugs including whitening creams and erectile dysfunction medications were also found. When: March 17, 2009 Where: Towns across the islands of Java and Sumatra in Indonesia. Additional details: The Jakarta Globe reports that after a three-month investigation, the Center for Drugs…
Read MoreView larger map What: On November 12, 2008, Dutch authorities seized a shipment of Indian-made abacavir—an antiretroviral drug for HIV/AIDS treatment—bound for Nigeria. The abacavir tablets were found to violate patent rules and were declared counterfeit; however it’s been disputed whether the drugs were actually counterfeit. The Financial Times reported that “dozens” of HIV patients were placed at risk as…
Read MoreView larger map What: Counterfeit heparin has been linked to the deaths of 81 people and resulted in hundreds of allergic reactions in the United States. Batches of contaminated heparin were also detected in 11 other countries – resulting in as many as 68 more deaths. Reports issued by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) concluded that the contaminated…
Read MoreView larger map Thirty thousand packs of counterfeit life-saving drugs may have been consumed by National Health Service (NHS) patients, including drugs used to treat prostate cancer, strokes, heart conditions and schizophrenia. When: June 2007 Where: The United Kingdom How: According to reports by the BBC, reputable UK wholesalers were “duped by sophisticated counterfeits.” Who: MHRA; National Health Service; Orient Pacific International;…
Read MoreA new stage concept was developed to reliably identify counterfeit tablets which are very similar to the genuine drug product. This concept combines single-point near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) and near-infrared chemical imaging (NIR-CI) with statistical variance analysis. The advantage of NIR-CI over NIRS is the potential to determine not only the amount, but also the spatial distribution of ingredients within a…
Read MoreView larger map What: Officials seized 15,000 counterfeit pills and arrested nine people during raids in the Montreal region. Counterfeit Viagra and cancer drugs were among the seized pills. When: August 6, 2009 Where: Montreal, Canada Additional details: According to the Montreal Gazette, the Royal Canadian Mounted Policy (RCMP) seized 15,000 counterfeit pills and arrested nine suspects during raids on…
Read MorePerhaps it’s an obvious question, but after the recent truck hijacking of generic asthma medication this month in McKinney Texas, we wondered, “Who steals entire truckloads of drugs, and what do they do with them?” It seemed like something right out of a mobster movie. We asked the counterfeit drugs experts on the Partnership’s board to sit down and talk…
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