Fake Viagra Is Big Business

Even with drug regulatory agencies and customs authorities' most significant efforts worldwide, there is still a sizable market for counterfeit Viagra.

Of all, this is only a tiny part of a much broader industry that deals in counterfeit versions of virtually every kind of prescription medication.

Viagra, on the other hand, has been one of the pharmaceuticals most commonly counterfeited ever since its introduction.

An investigation conducted by CNN a few years ago demonstrated the extremes that counterfeiters will go to to make their items seem real, as stated in an article published on some websites.

According to the investigation findings, counterfeit Viagra pills were initially produced in China, then transported to Hong Kong, and then delivered to the United Kingdom through a free trade zone in Dubai.

The counterfeiters shipped Viagra from the United Kingdom to fulfillment centers in the Bahamas. Once there, the pills were separated into individual consumer-sized packages and sent back to the United Kingdom.

Customers who placed online pharmaceutical orders from the Bahamas transferred the counterfeit Viagra back to the United Kingdom. They delivered the pills direct to the customers from there.

Imported medications from a reliable nation, like the United Kingdom, are more likely to be accepted as lawful sources of supply than if they come from other regions of the world.

Generic and or Fake Viagra Erectile Dysfunction Pills Can Cause Dangerous Health Effects

There are dangers to using generic health products, primarily when the FDA hasn't evaluated them. One example of such a threat is the case of Adrian Carter in Houston, Texas, in May 2011.

Planning to enjoy an evening of sexual intercourse, he purchased Virilis Pro from a local gas station. The bottle advertises itself as the "Ultimate Male Enhancer," making no specific reference to erectile dysfunction, and Carter used a pill for the advertised use. The results were horrifying.

The amount of swelling that Carter experienced was far beyond the expected results. The swelling was so bad that it caused his urethra to separate. The separation caused intense pain in Carter and caused his penis to discharge massive quantities of blood when he attempted to engage in sexual intercourse. He immediately went to the hospital, where a doctor performed surgery to remove the skin from Adrian's penis.

Haute Health, the maker of Virilis Pro, claims in an online FAQ that Virilis Pro "is made with natural ingredients to prevent harmful side effects." But the bottle also warns that pills are not recommended on an empty stomach and not taken more than once every 36 hours. And not to be taken by anyone with heart problems or who is taking nitrates. The warnings suggest Virilis Pro has some harmful side effects, but since the FDA has never evaluated it, such side effects are unavailable to the consumer.

The main takeaway from this is nothing surprising.

When it comes to over-the-counter medication, it is critical to only buy products thoroughly screened and tested by the FDA, especially when dealing with medical problems like erectile dysfunction. So far, Adrian's case appears to be a singular incident, but that doesn't mean it can't and won't happen again. The cost for using brands like Viagra that have been tested and verified by the FDA is slightly higher than brands like Virilis Pro. But that is better than using a catheter to urinate and never again being able to reach an erection, which looks to be the fate of poor Adrian Carter.