realdanger.co.uk | The real danger of counterfeit medicines

Pfizer is sponsoring a new ad campaign to illustrate the dangers of counterfeit medication. The danger jauntily illustrated here - pills made of rat poison. Yum.

realdanger.co.uk | The real danger of counterfeit medicines

Posted using ShareThis

Risking It All for Lust

Viagra has changed the lives of millions of men. What factors such as age, diet and stress have contributed to Erectile Dysfunction can be successfully combated with application of the little blue pill. But such advances in pharmacological technology are expensive, and those costs are passed down to the consumer in the form of high prices. So despite knowing little to nothing about many of the internet vendors dealing "discount" prescription drugs, many men have attempted to purchase Viagra online.

Now the BBC has published a piece illustrating the extreme danger these online hunters at the intersection of lustful and miserly face. And it's not just Viagra. Drugs for the treatment of conditions ranging from cancer to heart disease proliferate online, despite that 90% of all prescription drugs sold online are fake. These counterfeit medicines are often enough made up of materials such as "talcum powder, or even rat poison." The problem is worse in Third World countries, where counterfeits used to fight conditions such as malaria have killed scores of vulnerable people. But in the rich United Kingdom, many men have bypassed legitimate channels to purchase drugs. Aside from a 90% chance of having just thrown their money away, these men face a real risk to their health.

Diplomats on Drugs

Not what you think, but the august and aptly-named Foreign Policy details some foreign policy implications of counterfeiting (paid registration may be required).

The article details the culprits (China and India are the biggest) and introduces the reader to several law enforcement figures who are simply overwhelmed at the sheer volume of the problem. Some enforcement may also require individual acts of heroism. In Nigeria, Dora Akunyili, a 54-year-old pharmacy professor, took over Nigeria's drug watchdog industry in 2001 and fought hard to reduce the percentage of counterfeit drugs in Nigeria. Akunyili succeeded. The Nigerian drug supply chain from 70% in 2001 to close to 10% today. Her efforts are helping to prevent counterfeit drugs from killing innocent Nigerians, like her own sister who died after taking fake diabetes medicine in 1988. These efforts have also endangered Akunyili, who narrowly escaped assassination, had her office blown up, and now lives with round-the-clock bodyguard protection.

On the demand side, humanitarian groups seeking to provide drugs to treat third world health problems are left with a stark choice. Either these groups purchase expensive medications through legitimate sources, or they go through more shadowy channels to purchase drugs that may be counterfeit and do not work.

And publicizing the counterfeiting of any drug is often a losing proposition for these drug companies: when counterfeiting of particular drugs is publicized, the public demand for the drug drops even through legitimate channels.

The World Health Organization (WHO) has taken a lead in trying to stem the tide of counterfeit drugs in the world pharmaceutical supply chain. They face real opposition - often, the governments they attempt to influence are also directly involved in profiting from the trade of counterfeit drugs. And even a powerful and influential organization like the WHO is not immune to political pressure. Quoting from the article:

The WHO has been vocal about combating fakes, but even it hesitates to embarrass member countries who allow fake drugs to enter the market. Unfortunately, many observers believe it may take large-scale casualties for real action to occur. As one British drug-security expert put it to me in April, “Action against al Qaeda really only took off after September 11.”

Scary stuff. Read it if you have the chance.

Video - Dangers of Counterfeit Drugs

Outstanding video from the European Federation of Pharmaceutical Industries and Associations (EFPIA):

Another Wrist Slap

Some more news of enforcement against dealers of counterfeit drugs. Here, British authorities got convictions against Mr. Shabbir Hussain and Mr Mohammed Yasser Zaidi and seized just under half a million British pounds worth of counterfeit drugs.

Again, that the authorities are devoting resources to enforcement of anti-counterfeit drug laws is good news. The publicity brings attention to the problem. Unfortunately, the attention also allows the public to weigh costs and benefits of the criminal activity, and such weighing is obviously not good. Mr. Hussain did receive a four year sentence, while his co-conspirator Mr Mohammed Yasser Zaidi received a suspended sentence plus community service.

Let's take a look at drug laws in the United Kingdom.

Penalties for possession and dealing

		Possession:	Dealing:
Class A	Ecstasy, LSD, heroin, cocaine, crack, magic mushrooms, amphetamines (if prepared for injection).	Up to seven years in prison or an unlimited fine or both.	Up to life in prison or an unlimited fine or both.
Class B	Amphetamines, Methylphenidate (Ritalin), Pholcodine.	Up to five years in prison or an unlimited fine or both.	Up to 14 years in prison or an unlimited fine or both.
Class C	Cannabis, tranquilisers, some painkillers, Gamma hydroxybutyrate (GHB), Ketamine.	Up to two years in prison or an unlimited fine or both.	Up to 14 years in prison or an unlimited fine or both.

Contrast these laws in the UK for dealing narcotics with the penalties imposed against Mr. Hussain, who operated his business dealing counterfeit drugs. Four years can be a long time, particularly for someone of his age, 55. However, the penalties for counterfeit drug distribution pale in comparison with penalties for Class A and Class B drug distribution.

These laws need to be updated.

Considering that consumers who take counterfeit drugs are most often doing so without knowledge that the drugs taken could be counterfeit or dangerous, one could make a case that the pusher of counterfeit drugs needs to be punished as much as the pusher of narcotics, whose victims are at least informed about the risks they take (albeit, often influenced by addiction).

Quoting Mick Deats, Group Manager of Enforcement at the MHRA, MedicalNewsToday said,

"Counterfeit medicines are dangerous, these medicines would have found their way into high street pharmacies and onto the internet. Counterfeit medicines contain impurities, wrong ingredients and are not manufactured to the exacting standards required to safeguard public health. This is the latest in a series of successful prosecutions which should serve as a clear message to those contemplating involvement in this serious criminal activity that the MHRA is determined to take the strongest possible action against any person involved in the sale and supply of counterfeit medicines."

Mr. Deats is correct. The problem is, publicizing light punishment for lucrative enterprises could well do more harm than good.

Wrist Slap

Here is a disheartening story that just came over the wire - Viraj Shah was caught with 1.8 million pounds/ over $2 million worth of counterfeit drugs in London, and received a 51 week suspended prison sentence.

Any person possessing that much counterfeit medication is likely to have considerable assets, if only to purchase and sell at his point on the supply chain. He would also likely possess at least some information relating to his supply chain, such as who bought counterfeit drugs from him and who may have sold counterfeit drugs to him. And yet, there is no talk of a fine or even any certainty of Mr. Shah serving one day in prison. And, it does not appear from the article that Mr. Shah relayed any useful information concerning his cohorts to prosecutors.

Now maybe there is information on this case that the public is not aware of yet. Perhaps this man did inform on his partners in crime sotto voce, or maybe the state's case had a fatal flaw. But there is no evidence that any deal was made - the man was prosecuted, tried, convicted and sentenced.

The dangers of counterfeit medication are manifest and well-documented. Aside from possibly being ineffective and causing indirect harm, counterfeit medicines may well contain incorrect dosages or be made out of substances like cement powder - or worse.

The goals of criminal law enforcement are to mete out justice, rehabilitate the criminal and provide disincentives for the criminal and the public to engage in similar future behavior. Given the reckless dangers involved in dealing fake meds, it is clear that the crime well exceeded the very light punishment. There is also no evidence that Mr. Shah has been rehabilitated or even feels remorse for his actions. And as far as providing disincentives, the public has now been made aware of a lucrative career with extremely limited downside. So until the state gets serious about getting tough on people like Mr. Shaw, this problem will not get better.

With this publicity, it will likely get worse.

UPDATE: The press release from the U.K. Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) describes how Mr. Shah got caught (inspection of consignments at Heathrow Airport) and the sentencing process (Mr. Shah plead guilty, and will perform community service in addition to his suspended sentence).

Fake Heparin Kills 19, Is Recalled

Often times, when considering the issue of fake pharmaceuticals, consumers like to believe that their own countries' stringent medical regulatory system prevent fakes from getting in their supply chain. Walt Bogdanich of the New York Times, who broke the 2007 story of counterfeit cough syrup being responsible for the deaths of 120 Panamanians, has broken a new story that should make those in the EU and America sit up straighter.

Counterfeit heparin.

Heparin is a blood thinner often used in surgery and dialysis, and this year, the United States Food and Drug Administration linked contaminated versions of the thinner to 19 deaths. After much testing, the truth came out--the heparin wasn't heparin at all, but a counterfeit attempting to mimic the effects of the real thing, with tragic results.

Bogdanich writes:
"What a difference a year makes.

After many near misses and warning signs, the heparin scare has eliminated any doubt that, here and abroad, regulatory agencies overseeing the safety of medicine are overwhelmed in a global economy where supply chains are long and opaque, and often involve many manufacturers.

“In the 1990s governments were all about trying to maximize the volume of international trade,” said Moisés Naím, editor in chief of Foreign Policy magazine and author of “Illicit: How Smugglers, Traffickers and Copycats Are Hijacking the Global Economy.” “I’m all for that, but I believe this decade is going to be about maximizing the quality of that trade, not quantity.”

Mr. Naím said the heparin scare is already having a “huge” impact, fueling worldwide anxiety over imported medicine and a growing demand for consumer protection."

In addition to the Times article, Sue Hughes of Medscape writes that 350 adverse reactions to Baxter (the company which produces the heparin) products have been reported, with at least 40% considered serious.

Read the full New York Times article here

FDA Recalls Heparin

For questions contact Baxter Inc.

Bad Drugs at a Pharmacy Near You





Photo Credit

Pharmaceutical Updates

• Report: Counterfeit HIV/Aids Meds Flood Zimbabwe (Rod 2.0)
• New Tech Can Identify Counterfeit Drugs in Minutes (News Medical)
• Massive Counterfeit Drug Ring Cracked (in-Pharma)
• Most Hoodia Diet Pills are Fake, Study Says (PMC)
• Lawmakers Debate Import Safety, How to Stop Counterfeits (FDA News)
• As Counterfeit Medicines Reach Local Chemists, Are You At Risk? (Daily Mail)
• Vioxx Users Seek Company Help, Drug Companies Battle Counterfeits (NJ.com)
• Counterfeit Drugs Kill (The American)
  

Photo Source

news roundup, ed. 9

Speed Dial Toy Phone
Originally uploaded by mary@found

• Nokia Blames Counterfeits (The Telegraph)
• Fake Anti-Malarials Hit the Market (The East African)
• Johnson & Johnson and the Case of Diversion Diversion (PharmaFraud)
• 3 Steps to Avoid Fake Meds Online
• iPhone nano?
• China Steps up Efforts to Cleanse Reputation (New York Times)
• Counterfeit Viagra from China Prompts Warnings in India (Earth Times)
• Helping Patients Avoid Counterfeit Drugs Over the Internet (FDA)
• China Jails Man Who Sold Fake J&J Diabetes Test Strips (Bloomberg)
• Fake Medications are a Growing Threat (U.S. News & World Report)
  

news roundup, ed. 8

Terror's Purse Strings (New York Times)
Uganda: MP Pins Minister Over Fake Seeds, Pangas (New Vision)
Counterfeit Pills: The European Threat (NAM)
Fake Britain: The Rise of the Imitation Industry (The Independent)
Ports Teeming with Counterfeit Goods (LA Business Journal)
India Steps Up Fight Against Piracy (BBC)
Fake Brand Seizures Hit New Half Year High (Japan Times)
Two Extremes in Chinese Knockoffs (Autosavant)
Nike Wins Lawsuit Against Chinese Footwear Manufacturers (GhettoGrind)
Counterfeit Anti-Malaria Drugs Seized (East African Standard)
Not So Heavenly Hosts (Counterfeit Chic)
Counterfeit Drugs: Seal the Loopholes (The Nairobi Nation)
France Intercepts Counterfeit World Cup Rugby Balls (Reuters)
BMW and DaimlerChrysler Threaten Legal Steps if Chinese Copies Are Shown at the IAA (Forbes)
Two Held Over Fake Cattle Vaccine (Daily Monitor)

Photo Credit

news roundup, ed. 7

Jarabe
Originally uploaded by checoo

Drug Website Safety Fears Raised (BBC News)

Counterfeit Diabetes Test Strips Tracked by J&J (Bloomberg)

Soft Sentence in Federal Counterfeit Luxury Goods Prosecution (Counterfeit Blog)

Nintendo raid in Mexico nets 15,000 items; brings worldwide total to 100k (GamerNode)

Life Term for Making, Selling Fake Meds (India Times)

Nigeria Issues Toothpaste Ban (VOA)

Online Shoppers Beware: Is it Counterfeit? (WRAL)

Stations Must Not Air Fake Meds Ads (Inquirer.net)

news roundup, ed. 6

Hi everyone,

The site has seen some major changes lately, but it's back to the blogs! Here's an extensive news roundup for the past two weeks.

Rallies to protest fake medicine racket (The Statesman)
Chinese making Fake Eggs! (Chinaview)
Former DMV Employee Faces Federal Charges for Fake Licenses (WRAL News)
NYC Raid Yields Counterfeit Cigarettes (Forbes)
Authentic or Counterfeit? It Should Have a Guarantee (Charm Handbag Blog)
Senate Joins Knockoff Battle (NYT)
Taking counterfeiting too far (Market Watch)
How dangerous are counterfeits? (Bold Investors)
Under the Hood Special Report: Counterfeit Parts
More Counterfeit Harry (Intangible Economy)
IBM's Tonic For Drug-Tracking Blues (Wireless)

news roundup ed. 5

China: A Haven for Fake Goods (Korean Daily News)
China Continues Steps Towards Drug Safety Reform (Drug Researcher)
FDA Chief Vows to Boost Food Inspection (Washington Times)
Coca Cola’s Antique Ad
Kenneth Walton Reads from Fake, Admits Selling Phony Paintings (Writer’s Block)
Forever 21 Messes with the Wrong Harajuku Girl

Photos: Flickr's x-eyedblonde

news roundup ed. 3

It’s official. Even Crane’s are Counterfeit. (Contract Journal)
Combating Counterfeit Pharmaceuticals from China (Science Daily)
Manolo, Pretty but Pricey (Zappos Blog)

Photo: Flickr's ChixSki (CC)

news roundup ed. 2

Samsung Responds to Counterfeit Cartridge Issue (Eye on Korea)
Counterfeit Flashlight Batteries Recalled Due to Fire Hazard (engadget)
Trick Kicks (NewCity Chicago)
Fakes Increase (Sun Sentinel)
China’s Cheap Goods Have High Cost (Baltimore Sun)
When Fakery Turns Fatal (NY Times)
Reduce Risk When Buying on eBay (Morning Call)
Combating Counterfeit Pharmaceuticals from China (Science Daily)

Photo: Flickr's DVFlick (CC)

news roundup ed. 1

Chinese say watercoolers contain tap (China Daily)
Sometimes, you get what you pay for (AP)
The Dangers of Internet Drugs (Forbes)
Fake Viagra and your health (Arabian Business)
More lead poison toys from China recalled (World Net Daily)
Phony wine on the rise (AP)
Knockoffs cause US layoffs (VOA)

Photo: Flickr's HermanTurnip (CC)

the truth about phony meds

Counterfeit Pills Killed B.C. Woman: Coroner (Canada.com)
How Drug Fraud Killed the Corrupt Reformer (The Scotsman)
Internet Drug Death a Warning to Canadians (Medical News Today)
Counterfeit Blood Products? (Bloomberg)
A Toxic Pipeline: From China to Panama, A Trail of Poisoned Medicine (NY Times)
A Toxic Pipeline, p. 2 (NY Times)
Fake Liver Pills Dangerous (ABC)
China Steps Up Its Safety Efforts (NY Times)

Photo: Elle Chyun