Counterfeit Drug Facts
- An estimated 1-2% of drugs in North America are fraudulent
- Worldwide drug counterfeiting is a $32 billion business
- Worldwide drug counterfeiting will be a $75 billion industry by 2010
- According to the US Food and Drug Administration, the number of fraudulent prescription drugs intercepted by customs officials nearly doubled between 2004 and 2005
- Counterfeit sales are increasing at nearly twice the pace of legitimate pharmaceutical sales -- estimated at 13% annually by the Center for Medicine in the Public Interest
- Counterfeit drugs are commonly manufactured in countries like China and India
- The composition of fraudulent drugs ranges from crude mixtures of glue, chalk and sugar to nearly exact chemical replicas of complex pharmaceuticals
- Changes in packaging, labeling, color, taste, pill shape, and unanticipated side effects are telltale signs of counterfeiting
- Many counterfeit drugs are bought via legitimate-looking Web sites
- Although possible, it is rare for drugs purchased at reputable pharmacies to be counterfeit
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This web page was last updated
11/07/2009 15:01:15
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