When something is popular, expensive or both, it can become hard to obtain, which can lead to the emergence of counterfeit versions being sold illegally (2).
It becomes a serious problem when counterfeits target drugs and medicine as it can lead to serious complications and even death (2,3,4). Counterfeit drugs are not safe, nor are they effective as they can be made with (2,5,6):
- Too much or too little of the correct ingredients
- No medicinal ingredients.
- The wrong or sub-standard medicinal ingredients.
- Dangerous and/or illicit ingredients (e.g. heroin, fentanyl).
- No regard to the drugs’ production, distribution, and storage regulatory standards.
Counterfeit pharmaceuticals can target brand names or generic drugs, and can look exactly like the real thing or slightly different (2). Lately, authorities have been seeing a lot of counterfeit Ozempic, an expensive and hard to obtain drug, designed to treat diabetes, but also sought after for its weight loss properties (3,4). But counterfeit hormones, cancer drugs, antiretrovirals, lifestyle drugs (e.g. sexual impotence, baldness treatment), and psychotropic drugs (e.g. opiate-based painkillers, stimulants) are also sought after in countries like Canada (2,7).
Selling counterfeit pharmaceuticals is very profitable, generating an estimated 100 billions each year globally (2,6,7,8). Most of these counterfeit drugs are sold online on fake pharmacy websites, which can sometimes look legitimate. Make sure you know how to recognize them (1,2).
Counterfeit pharmaceuticals pose a serious threat to public health. Not only are consumers deprived of vital information regarding their origin and authenticity, but they are also left uninformed about proper dosage, usage, and potential risks. This lack of knowledge can result in serious side effects, dangerous drug interactions, and exacerbation of existing medical conditions (2). To protect yourself, it is essential to obtain medication from legitimate sources (5).
If something looks too good to be true, it probably is!
Sources: https://tinyurl.com/SUFCounterfeitDrugs
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A popular and/or expensive product may become difficult to obtain. This can lead to the emergence of counterfeit versions sold illegally, which can be very dangerous for your health.
— ScienceUpFirst | LaScienced'Abord (@ScienceUpFirst) May 17, 2024
Learn to recognize illegal pharmacies https://t.co/5D6uaJZ2Ty#ScienceUpFirst pic.twitter.com/KjTS3vR8Vc
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