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Source: Medical News Today
 The counterfeiting of
prescription drugs is an illegal business that is growing fast. Several
years ago, the FDA estimated that nearly 15% of imported pharmaceuticals
contained unapproved substances, according to Lawrence Hardie, retired
Supervisory Special Agent with U.S. Customs and Immigration and Customs
Enforcement (ICE). Piracy, counterfeiting and the theft of intellectual
property now cost business $250 billion per year, according to the US
Chamber of Commerce.
Hardie, now a Specialist with the corporate advisory firm SES Resources
International, Inc., says that the market for counterfeit drugs is
increasing in the U.S. As a recent segment on the NBC news program Dateline
showed, counterfeit medications can be hazardous to the point of being
deadly. That program profiled a family in which the mother, battling
cancer, took Procrit which had been purchased at a pharmacy but which
turned out to be counterfeit. With no active ingredient, the pills did
nothing to ease her worsening symptoms in her last days.
"Counterfeit pharmaceuticals are products manufactured without the
authorization and supervision of the trademark holder and may contain
contaminants or incorrect amounts of active ingredients," says Hardie.
While purchases made over the Internet or from other countries are the most
likely to be counterfeit, even a local pharmacy can unwittingly be carrying
the illicit items. "Packaging and distribution are sophisticated global
operations," says Hardie. With a complex network of wholesalers who buy and
sell medicines, it is possible for counterfeiters to use forged paperwork
and packaging to slip medicine into the system to be shipped to local
pharmacies nationwide.
"China is emerging as a source country of great concern. India and
other Asian and African countries are also sources," says Hardie. "Products
may be concealed among shipments of similar items and entered into the U.S.
economy in international freight."
Counterfeit products are also often purchased abroad, especially in
third world countries, or over the Internet by consumers looking for
bargains. "Internet purchases are highly suspect," says Hardie. "They do
not require a prescription from the buyer's physician, and the buyer has no
way of knowing the source." A survey of drugs imported by mail conducted by
Customs and FDA around 2001 found that 88% of the sample contained
unapproved substances.
These substances make the counterfeit medications worse than useless in
treating illnesses and their symptoms. Some can actually be hazardous to
the user's health. "While some may be completely inert or ineffective due
to an insufficient quantity of the active ingredient, the presence of
adulterants or contaminants may pose health risks due to unexpected
side-effects or allergic reactions, Hardie says. In addition, "legitimate
firms test for interaction with commonly used medications. Consumers have
no way of knowing how counterfeit products may interact with other
medications." Substances found in counterfeit medications have included
cement, gypsum and lead-based highway paint, which contains renal
failure-causing boric acid.
According to Hardie, counterfeiters are reproducing medications
designed to treat a wide variety of ailments. "Products with brand-name
recognition are commonly counterfeited." These include, among many others,
Viagra, Lipitor, Aricept, Procrit and Norvasc.
An equally grim factor in the spread of counterfeit medications is the
fact that some of the profits are used to fund terrorism. "Any untraceable
income lends itself to illicit use," says Bradley D. Schnur, Esq.,
President & COO, SES Resources International, Inc. "The sale of counterfeit
products is rampant in third world countries and may provide an income
source for terrorists as well as other criminal organizations." In the
Dateline segment, Aaron Graham, a former undercover counterfeit
investigator, said, "We've had testimony of the Hill that Hezbollah is
counterfeiting medicines to fund their terrorist activities."
The US Government is working to protect consumers from these drugs.
"The FDA, DEA, and Customs have vigorous enforcement programs to detect
and interdict counterfeit products," says Hardie. "They work in
conjunction
with manufacturers and trademark holders to identify and confiscate
counterfeit products."
Still, consumers need to take precautions. Hardie says, "do not
purchase prescription items without consulting your physician, and buy only
from licensed pharmacies. Check all purchases for seal integrity, and
examine the packaging and labeling. Contact your doctor or pharmacist if
you have any concerns about the effectiveness of the drug or any
side-effects. Packaging is becoming more sophisticated, so the best defense
is to know your source. Be suspicious of products offered outside normal
procurement channels or at prices significantly below normal U.S. market
rates."
About SES
SES stands for Senior Executive Service, the highest position
attainable within federal law enforcement, a level just below that of
presidential appointee. Senior Executive Service International Inc.
provides clients with a comprehensive set of solutions addressing the
critical concerns of major corporations today. The firm offers expertise in
the areas of Corporate Protection, Forensic Accounting, Anti
Money-Laundering, Anti-Counterfeiting & Intellectual Property Protection,
Employee Workplace Compliance & Enforcement, Health & Wellness Consultancy,
Emergency Preparedness & Contingency Planning, Executive Staffing and
Government & Education Services. The name SES was chosen to highlight their
team of experts and asset-protection managers, who come from agencies
including IRS-Criminal Investigation, Department of Homeland Security
(Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Customs and Border Patrol), ATF,
DEA, Postal Inspection Service, FBI and United States Secret Service, as
well as high-ranking personnel from State and Local law enforcement. SES'
network provides unparalleled levels of expertise and experience on the
latest issues facing management today.
About L Q
L Q Corporation markets through its Sielox(TM) and Senior Executive
Service (SES) Resources divisions. Sielox product offerings include the
Pinnacle(TM) Access Control Solution, proximity cards and devices, readers
and 32-bit controllers designed for professional physical security
applications. SES offers a wide range of investigatory services including
corporate investigations; forensic accounting; anti-money laundering; anti-
counterfeiting and intellectual property protection; health and wellness
consultancy; emergency preparedness and contingency planning; executive
staffing solutions; and education and government security training
services.
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