As part of efforts to check the growing incidence of adulterated medications and unwholesome processed foods, fake drugs worth over N8.3 million have been seized in Akwa Ibom State. The chairman of the task force on counterfeit and fake drugs, Sebastian Bassey, who made this known in an interview with Businessday, stated that plans have been concluded for the destruction…

The World health Organization (WHO) office in Manila has called on the Department of Health (DOH) to strengthen monitoring of drugs to prevent the possible spread of counterfeit medicines in the country. �We have evidence on the prevalence of counterfeit drugs in some countries. With this matter, the Philippine government must have proper coordination with other countries to prevent such…

Two Dutch doctors from the Slotervaart hospital in Amsterdam appear to have stumbled on a medical scandal in Bangladesh, the Telegraaf reports on Tuesday. The doctors were carrying out research into the medicine Miltefosine which is used to treat the infectious disease Leishmaniasis (also known as black fever). 23 September 2008 Read the full story at dutchnews.nl.

MUMBAI: The Centre is planning to set up a task force to deal with counterfeit drugs. All stakeholders of the industry, including pharma companies, NGOs and the government would have representation on the committee, said Ashok Kumar, secretary, department of pharmaceuticals. �Legal provisions are being tightened to provide stiffer punishment to offenders and quality parameters are being made mandatory. Now…

KUALA LUMPUR: Pharmaceutical counterfeiters beware — stiffer penalties, including mandatory jail sentences, await offenders as authorities step up their fight against fake medicine. Realizing the threat posed by fake medicine to national health and the pharmaceutical industry, the Health Ministry is proposing a new bill next year to combat the menace. 22 September 2008 Read the full story at nst.com.my.

BAGHDAD – Amid the cacophony of Baghdad's Bab Sharaji market, Yasir Mazen has peddled counterfeit Viagra and other pills, gels and creams promising cures for ailments ranging from sexual dysfunction to bad skin. It has been a thriving business. "They always come back to buy more," said the 20-year-old of his customers. But Mazen and even sellers of legitimate medications…

It is being reported that the Federal Trade Commission is going on the attack against companies claiming to have in their possession, cancer curing drugs and are suing 5 such companies for attempting to sell them to people. The companies are marketing their supposed cancer curing drugs to cancer patients who are looking for herbal treatments to help cure them…

Continued vigilance is required to minimise the risk of counterfeit medicines being supplied in Ireland, according to the Irish Pharmaceutical Healthcare Association (IPHA). The IPHA, in a statement, said to date, this country has had very few incidences of counterfeit drugs attempting to enter the legitimate supply chain. By Niall Hunter18 September 2008 Read the full story at irishhealth.com.