Over the last year, evidence has been mounting that rogue online drug sellers are peddling dangerous counterfeit Viagra^® (sildenafil) to many people who bought the medication online, Forbes reports.

At the 2013 International Pharmaceutical Federation (FIP) World Congress hosted in Dublin, Ireland, NABP presented information on online pharmacy safety and rogue online drug sellers to delegates at a session dedicated to online health.

The risks of ordering medications online and of receiving dangerous counterfeit products are highlighted in a recent NBC Connecticut report.

US Department of Justice (DOJ) officials indicted 11 people on 17 different charges related to the illegal importation and distribution of non-Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved drugs into the US.

National Association of Boards of Pharmacy® (NABP®) recently issued a report emphasizing the deceptive practices that illegal online drug sellers use to make consumers believe that they are legitimate, safe, and trustworthy.

FDA advises consumers not to use, and is taking action to remove from the market, illegal products claiming to treat diabetes.

The National Association of Boards of Pharmacy® (NABP®) today issued a report emphasizing the deceptive practices that illegal online drug sellers use to make consumers believe that they are legitimate, safe, and trustworthy. 

Paul Bottomley of Montana forfeited nearly $6 million in cash and property and was sentenced to five years probation for his role in the scheme that imported fake cancer drugs into US clinics, ultimately reaching patients.

Attorneys General are calling on Google to remove video ads from YouTube that promote rogue Internet sites marketing medications, including controlled substances, as “no prescription required” products.

The problem of counterfeit drugs distributed into the US via rogue Internet drug sellers is growing, FDA consumer safety officers told CNN’s Sanjay Gupta, MD, as part of a special report.

As part of the sixth annual International Internet Week of Action (IIWA), Food and Drug Administration (FDA) took action against more than 9,600 Web sites illegally selling drugs that included counterfeit, substandard, and other potentially dangerous products. 

A bill aimed to ensure the security of pharmaceuticals in the drug supply chain has passed the United States House of Representatives. 

The Alliance for Safe Online Pharmacies (ASOP) presented information on illegal online drug sellers and its efforts to protect patients from the counterfeit and substandard drugs often distributed by such entities.

To further protect the integrity of the United States drug supply chain, the National Association of Boards of Pharmacy^® (NABP^®) has updated the criteria for the Association’s Verified-Accredited Wholesale Distributors^® (VAWD^®) accreditation program. 

To further protect the integrity of the United States drug supply chain, the National Association of Boards of Pharmacy^® (NABP^®) has updated the criteria for the Association’s Verified-Accredited Wholesale Distributors^® (VAWD^®) accreditation program. 

Fraudulent, unapproved versions of Botox^® are being sold by unlicensed suppliers to US medical practices, warns FDA. 

Consumer Concepts, distributor of ROCK-It MAN Male Enhancement Capsules, has issued a voluntary recall of its product after FDA testing revealed an undeclared active ingredient, hydroxythiohomosildenafil, making it an unapproved new drug. 

Stressing the potential danger to patients, NABP expressed its opposition to legislation introduced in Maine that would allow the dispensing of drugs from mail-order pharmacies located around the world.

To enhance the law enforcement community’s response to pharmaceutical crime around the world, INTERPOL has entered a landmark agreement with 29 pharmaceutical companies. 

Federal authorities seized $3.6 million-worth of counterfeit drug products from a warehouse in Columbia, SC. 

FDA is alerting health care providers that an unapproved cancer medicine distributed by a United States company, Medical Device King (also known as Pharmalogical), is counterfeit.

Francis Ortiz Gonzalez of Puerto Rico has been convicted of federal charges relating to his involvement in the large scale distribution of counterfeit drugs throughout the United States and worldwide. Ortiz Gonzalez was convicted on one count of conspiracy and...

Protecting the public health from counterfeit drugs entering the US is a top priority for the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), stressed FDA Commissioner Margaret Hamburg, MD, at a September 10, 2012, symposium. As part of its efforts, the agency...

United States and Chinese officials coordinated efforts to shut down 18 Chinese-language Web sites marketing counterfeit drugs and other dangerous drug products to US consumers. The China State Food and Drug Administration initiated the operation and provided information to the...

Bringing together experts addressing the global counterfeit drug problem, the Partnership for Safe Medicines' (PSM) annual Interchange conference will take place on September 28, 2012, at the National Press Club in Washington DC. The PSM annual Interchange brings together policymakers,...

Originally published in the August 2012 NABP Newsletter Applying for the .pharmacy generic Top-Level Domain (gTLD), supporting relevant legislation, and educating consumers, health care providers, and law enforcement, are among the many actions NABP should continue to undertake in order...

Robin Han, a New Zealand citizen, has pleaded guilty to federal charges related to the large-scale distribution of fake erectile dysfunction drugs into the United States. Han pleaded guilty to three criminal counts related to his trafficking of counterfeit drugs...

Bringing together experts addressing the global counterfeit drug problem, the Partnership for Safe Medicines' (PSM) annual Interchange conference will take place on September 28, 2012, at the National Press Club in Washington DC. The PSM annual Interchange brings together policymakers,...

The National Association of Boards of Pharmacy® (NABP®) today issued a report about the continually increasing online counterfeit drug supply and the urgent need for international collaboration among regulators and other public agencies as well as private sector entities. As...

Luis Angel Garcia Torres, of Patillas, Puerto Rico, was convicted of 12 counts in relation to the trafficking of counterfeit goods, including the trafficking of counterfeit pharmaceutical drugs over the Internet. A Department of Justice news release indicates that Torres...

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Safety and Innovation Act (S 3187) was passed by United States Congress, June 26, 2012, and would implement provisions addressing counterfeit drugs, synthetic drugs, and drug shortages. The bill would increase penalties for drug...

Andrew J. Strempler, a Canadian citizen, was arrested by United States officials in Florida and faces charges relating to his operation of a Web site selling drug products to US residents including distribution of counterfeit and non-Food and Drug Administration...

Several pharmacies in the Charlotte, NC, area have been approached by questionable drug wholesalers attempting to sell them drug supplies that may be fake, reports WSOCTV. One pharmacy owner indicated that he received calls from companies claiming to be new...

Men’s health risks are often exploited by producers of counterfeit drugs as depicted in an infographic developed by the Partnership for Safe Medicines (PSM). PSM distributed the infographic in recognition of World Anti-Counterfeiting Day and Men's Health Week, and also...

The National Association of Boards of Pharmacy® (NABP®), with the support of a global coalition of stakeholders, has applied to the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) to own and operate the new .PHARMACY generic Top-Level Domain (gTLD)....

Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is warning consumers and health care providers about a counterfeit version of Teva Pharmaceutical Industries’ Adderall® 30 mg tablets that is being purchased on the Internet. Adderall, a drug approved to treat attention deficit hyperactivity...

The United States Senate voted against the proposed amendment to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Safety and Innovation Act that would have allowed drug importation from Canadian pharmacies on May 24, 2012. The amendment failed in a vote of...

Group of Eight (G8) leaders emphasized the importance of exchanging “information on rogue internet pharmacy sites in accordance with national law and shar[ing] best practices on combating counterfeit medical products” in order to protect public health and safety. Following their...

Incidents of counterfeit drug discoveries documented by pharmaceutical security experts more than doubled from 2005, when over 1,000 incidents were recorded, to 2010 when over 2,000 incidents were recorded. Experts Tim Mackey, MAS, Brian Liang, MD, JD, PhD, and Thomas...

Two Israeli citizens pleaded guilty to smuggling counterfeit and misbranded drugs into the United States. The products were sold via Internet Web sites and included counterfeit Cialis®. Benny Carmi and Moshe Dahan appeared before Federal District Court Judge Carol E....

The National Association of Boards of Pharmacy® (NABP®) today issued a report to raise awareness about how rogue Internet drugs sites are preying on consumers’ fears about drug shortages. With the most critical shortages involving cancer, antibiotic, nutrition, and electrolyte-imbalance...

Food and Drug Administration (FDA) sent letters to medical practices in several states requesting that they stop administering drugs purchased from any foreign or unlicensed source. FDA’s letters were sent in response to the discovery that the medical practices purchased...

With the recent incidence of counterfeit cancer drugs in the United States supply chain, Margaret Hamburg, MD, commissioner of US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) published a statement stressing the need for stronger laws to deter counterfeit drug activity and...

Another counterfeit version of a cancer drug has been found in United States medical practices, placing patients at risk, Food and Drug Administration (FDA) warns. The counterfeit version of Roche’s Altuzan® 400 mg/16 ml (bevacizumab), an injectable cancer medication, originated...

A new report from the Institute of Medicine (IOM) recommends 13 steps FDA and other organizations can take to strengthen the drug and medical product regulatory systems in developing nations. “More than 80 percent of active pharmaceutical ingredients and 40...

Abbott is warning consumers and health care providers about counterfeit Vicodin ES® purchased via the Internet. Abbott reports that the counterfeit product drug and package do not match that of Abbott’s Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved Vicodin ES (hydrocodone bitartrate...

The counterfeit vials of Avastin® purchased by 19 medical clinics in the US have been traced back to a seller located in Barbados, a CBS investigative report reveals. FDA issued a warning about the counterfeit Avastin, a drug used to treat...

Incidents of counterfeit drugs containing dangerous ingredients – such as mercury, rat poison, and paint thinner – and intercepted around the world are documented in a five-part series from the Partnership for Safe Medicines (PSM). As reported by PSM, Hazim...

Originally published in the April 2012 NABP Newsletter In 2011, counterfeit pharmaceuticals made up the largest portion of seized items in the Consumer Safety and Technology category, at 28% when ranked by domestic value, as reported by United States Customs...

A congressional briefing on the continued impact of counterfeit drugs in the United States will be held Thursday, March 15, 2012. The panel will include discussion of the recent situation involving the distribution of a counterfeit version of cancer drug...

LegitScript Investigation Finds Registrar Facilitating Fake Pharmacies’ Unlawful Activities The National Association of Boards of Pharmacy® (NABP®) has contacted the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) urging the organization to take action against Internet.bs, a Web site registrar...

The Partnership for Safe Medicines has released a guide to assist health care providers in protecting patients from counterfeit drugs and recognizing the signs that may indicate use of counterfeits. Three versions of the LEADER’s Guide – one for nurses,...

FDA is warning health care providers and patients about a counterfeit version of Avastin® 400 mg/16 mL, which may have been purchased and used by some medical practices in the United States. Avastin is an injectable medicine used to treat...

With prescription drug counterfeiters and illegal online drug sellers demonstrating their persistence throughout 2011, regulators and other stakeholders have stepped up efforts to fight Internet drug outlets as highlighted in the NABP Internet Drug Outlet Identification Program Progress Report for...

Actavis Elizabeth LLC is warning consumers and health care providers that counterfeit phentermine HCl Tablets (USP 37.5 mg) that contain fenfluramine, a dangerous ingredient, have been found in the US. The manufacturer explains in a press release that phentermine is...

Chinese law enforcement arrested 1,770 suspects and seized $315 million worth of counterfeit drugs and packaging in a police operation on November 17, 2011. The raid was part of a nationwide effort involving 16,000 police officers and breaking up “more...

A bill aimed to prevent trafficking in counterfeit drugs was introduced by Senator Patrick Leahy (D-VT) to the United States Senate on November 17, 2011. The Counterfeit Drug Penalty Enhancement Act of 2011 responds to recommendations made by the US...

The World Health Professions Alliance (WHPA) Prague Call to Action (PDF), a plan developed to reduce the impact of counterfeit drugs on patients and the public in central Europe and beyond, was endorsed by participants of a recent WHPA-sponsored workshop...

A four-month investigation by law enforcement in China resulted in the seizure of more than 65 million fake drugs and the arrest of 114 suspects. The criminal network producing and distributing the fake drugs extended over eight Chinese provinces, and...

The Partnership for Safe Medicines (PSM) presented NABP with the inaugural Guardian award, recognizing the Association’s efforts in raising awareness of and combating unlicensed online pharmacies. The award was presented at the PSM Interchange, October 27, 2011, an annual conference...

Approximately three million parcels of fraudulent medications – including fakes of arthritis, AIDS, and high cholesterol drug treatments – were seized in 2010 by United States Customs and Border Protection, according to a new report from the Partnership for Safe...

NABP Foundation Program Encourages Consumers to Get the Facts on Prescription Drug Abuse, Rogue Internet Drug Sites, and Counterfeit Drug Dangers AWARxETM, a consumer protection program provided by the National Association of Boards of Pharmacy® (NABP®) Foundation, has launched a...

Food and Drug Administration (FDA), along with regulatory agencies from 81 countries, participated in this year’s International Internet Week of Action (IIWA), a cooperative effort to curb online sales and distribution of counterfeit and illegal medical products. Dubbed Operation Pangea...

As part of FDA’s proactive approach to preventing diverted, counterfeit, and substandard products from entering the legitimate US drug supply chain, the agency has analyzed information from judicial diversion and counterfeiting cases to help prioritize the agency’s risk management activities....

US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers seized 8,000 tablets of counterfeit tadalafil at a shipping facility in Cincinnati, OH. The shipment was labeled “harmless generic medicine” and had been shipped from India. CBP officers added the seized package “to...

A new report from the Partnership for Safe Medicines (PSM) alerts parents to the growing threats of counterfeit medications – often distributed via Internet drug outlets – and argues that opening the United States drug supply chain to imported prescription...

FDA warns consumers not to use the emergency birth control product labeled as Evital, as these products may be counterfeit versions of the “morning after pill” and may not be safe or effective in preventing pregnancy. FDA stresses that Evital...

Originally published in the June-July 2011 NABP Newsletter Counterfeit drugs continue to threaten the public health and safety as thousands of rogue Internet drug outlets continue to operate unhindered. These counterfeit drugs harm patients with inaccurate dose levels, contaminated, or...

Legislation aimed to fight rogue Web sites dedicated to the sale of infringing or counterfeit goods, including rogue Internet drug outlets, has been introduced to the US Senate. The “Preventing Real Online Threats to Economic Creativity and Theft of Intellectual...

Originally published in the May 2011 NABP Newsletter “It is shocking to realize that, in some parts of the world, somewhere between 30 and 50 percent of drugs to treat serious diseases are actually counterfeit,” said Food and Drug Administration...

Rogue Internet drug outlets continue to place consumers at risk by selling counterfeit drugs and by indiscriminately distributing prescription drugs, including controlled substances – thus, fueling misuse and addiction – as stressed in the NABP “Internet Drug Outlet Identification Program...

Government officials and other security experts shared information on the growing threat of counterfeit pharmaceuticals in a CBS 60 Minutes segment that aired March 13, 2011. Margaret A. Hamburg, MD, commissioner of Food and Drugs, discussed the regulation challenges involved...

Biotab Nutraceuticals, Inc has voluntarily recalled two lots of ExtenzeTM nutritional supplement tablets, as Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has identified counterfeit versions of the product that bear the same lot numbers and may pose serious health risks. Specifically, some...

Shengyang Zhou and Qingming Hu pled guilty to charges of trafficking and distributing counterfeit versions of diet products, at court hearings during the last week of January 2011. Zhou and Hu were indicted by a federal grand jury in Denver...

Originally published in the December 2010 NABP Newsletter Efforts to counteract the proliferation of counterfeit prescription medications received a boost with the federal government’s 2010 Joint Strategic Plan on Intellectual Property Enforcement, released last June by the Office of the...

The Combating Online Infringement and Counterfeits Act (S 3804), which would allow the federal government to take actions against Internet sites using domain names to promote counterfeit products, was approved by the US Senate Committee on the Judiciary on November...

Mark Hughes, a resident of St Louis, MO, was indicted by a federal grand jury on several charges related to his alleged importing and selling of counterfeit and misbranded prescription drugs, including fakes of Viagra® and Cialis®. According to a...

Marla Ahlgrimm, a pharmacist and founder of Women’s Health America, and Balbir Bhogal are accused by federal prosecutors of conspiring to deliver counterfeit controlled substances and were arrested in Wisconsin on September 1, 2010. According to the Associated Press, a...

Vice President Joe Biden and United States Intellectual Property Enforcement Coordinator Victoria Espinel introduced a plan targeting counterfeit prescription medications, among other products infringing on intellectual property rights and endangering public safety. Announced on June 22, 2010, the Joint Strategic...

The World Customs Organization (WCO) will sign a declaration on June 24, 2010, to ban the making and marketing of counterfeit drugs, according to Reuters. The WCO mission is to enhance the effectiveness and efficiency of customs administrations and the...

Two individuals have been arrested and face charges related to illegally importing counterfeit weight loss medication. FDA issued a series of alerts, from 2008 to 2010, about tainted weight loss pills and counterfeit drugs, and an undercover investigation identified one...

Reprinted from the January 2009 Nevada State Board of Pharmacy Newsletter. The Nevada Supreme Court ruled in favor of the Nevada State Board of Pharmacy by affirming the Board’s actions of revoking the pharmaceutical wholesaler license of Dutchess Business Services,...

Reprinted from the October 2008 New Jersey Board of Pharmacy Newsletter. Fraudulent prescriptions for controlled dangerous substances continue to present a significant problem to dispensing pharmacists. A Web page entitled “A Pharmacist’s Guide to Prescription Fraud,” published by the Drug...