The Problem of Drug Counterfeiting
The most commonly counterfeited prescription drugs are so-called “lifestyle” drugs, such as those used to treat erectile dysfunction (ED) or hair loss. However, lifesaving drugs, including those meant to treat malaria, HIV, cancer, asthma, tuberculosis, and heart conditions are counterfeited as well.
In 2010, the counterfeit drug industry generated around $75 billion in revenues, and each year, 100,000 or more people worldwide die due to substandard or counterfeit medications.
While government organizations try to crack down on drug counterfeiting, drug manufacturers are stepping up their own efforts as well, and Pfizer, maker of widely-counterfeited Viagra, is increasing its efforts to fight back against counterfeiters. In fact, the company has scientists who analyze and do forensic work on fake Pfizer products, which arrive at Pfizer’s lab for testing several times a week.
Best Case Counterfeit Scenario: You Waste Money
It’s easy to see why ED drugs are counterfeited so frequently. They’re expensive, and obtaining them can mean bringing up the topic of ED with a physician — an uncomfortable prospect for many men. However, when people purchase counterfeit drugs, they may be getting something with little or no active ingredient. Assuming the other ingredients in the fake drugs are safe, the consumer has wasted money on a product that doesn’t work.
But sometimes the ingredients in counterfeit drugs are scary. They’ve been found to contain paint, brick dust, and even pesticides. Overseas “pharmacies” generally ship these products to drop shippers in the US to shield customers from problems with US Customs and perhaps give them a sense of security in supposedly having obtained products from a US address.
What the World Health Organization Is Doing
The World Health Organization (WHO) is working with government agencies like the Drug Enforcement Administration, the US Federal Trade Commission, Customs, and the Food and Drug Administration to report and attempt to halt counterfeiting worldwide. Even China, long a haven for drug counterfeiters, has implemented severe penalties for drug counterfeiting (including execution). The WHO also reaches out to health care providers with kits that help these professionals identify counterfeit medicines and report them.
How Drug Manufacturers Fight Counterfeiting
Pfizer and other major drug manufacturers have teams of scientists and former law enforcement agents who try to suss out counterfeiters and shut them down. In fact, drug manufacturers often cooperate with each other on these cases, since they’re essentially trying to bring the same people to justice. Alliances among fake drug makers and distributers change frequently, making it trickier to move up the supply chain and catch kingpins of the fake drug trade. Where do investigators start? Quite often, they start with those same online “pharmacies” you see in the search results when you search on “Viagra” or the name of some other commonly counterfeited drug.
How eDrugstore.com Fights Counterfeiting
Trusted online medical facilitator eDrugstore.com only offers genuine name-brand medications directly from the manufacturers. When you receive a shipment from eDrugstore.com, you can look up the packaging and lot number information with the manufacturer and confirm that your medications are the real product. You won’t find flashy banner ads for “Cheap Viagra” or “Generic Viagra” on eDrugstore.com; only the genuine product, which is purchased on a scale that allows customers to obtain their medications at competitive prices.
Drug counterfeiting is widespread enough that it is never worth taking a chance by ordering products from sources you cannot pin down to a US street address and phone number. Fortunately, you have safe options, like eDrugstore.com.
Photo Credits: Brett Neilson, Port of San Diego
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