July 28, 2010

By Rich Bernstein

In order to see just how prevalent illegal, counterfeit medications are becoming

confiscated illegally produced medications

worldwide, look no further than a recent report out of Switzerland: as compared to the first six months of 2009, imports of illegal medicines jumped 75 percent in the first half of 2010. These numbers are even more staggering when you consider counterfeit drug seizures were already up 68 percent during calendar year 2009.

Health officials said this phenomenon is increasing the risk factor for consumers who purchase medications online. Whether in Switzerland or in the United States, it’s incredibly easy for a consumer to search for a brand-name medication, but end up purchasing an illegal, counterfeit medication that is manufactured without regulation and with no oversight.

Counterfeit medications, the U.S. Food & Drug Administration warns, often contain the wrong (or no) dose of active ingredients, as well as additional ingredients of unknown origin. More than 50 percent of these illegal products are either ineffective and/or harmful, according to the FDA.

Yet many consumers see nothing wrong with purchasing counterfeit medications because they are either trying to save a buck, or they simply are unaware of the unsatisfactory manufacturing environments and unscrupulous methods utilized by counterfeit manufacturers.

Bloomberg reported earlier this month that the counterfeit drug market has doubled in the last five years to $75 billion globally (New York-based Center for Medicine in the Public Interest). Counterfeiters have learned that their investment in making fake medications is much more lucrative than making narcotics. A $1,000 investment in heroin production might return $20,000 whereas the same investment will easily return 10 times that much.

U.S. consumers who purchase medications online should take great precaution to ensure they are purchasing products manufactured in the U.S. Consumers should also research whether or not an FDA-approved generic is available for their medication – this is only possible if the U.S. patent has expired on the product.

For example, the patent for Viagra will not expire until March of 2012, so any presence of a “generic” Viagra pill in the U.S. is illegal until that time. This is why Viagra manufacturer Pfizer has spent $3.3 million since 2007 to intercept fake versions of its products. Since 2004, the company has stopped 58 million fake pills worth $860 million from reaching the global market.

Real Viagra is not cheap, but it could come at a much cheaper cost than if a consumer puts unknown ingredients into their system and waits to see what happens.

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