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>At a time when more people are looking to save money >on prescription drugs, their exposure to counterfeit >drugs is rising, says Pfizer's head of counterfeit >intelligence. > >Phony medicines are increasingly making it across U.S. >borders, often via Internet sales, and creating a >threat to consumer safety, says John Theriault, a >former FBI agent who now serves as the vice president >of global security for Pfizer Inc. Occasionally, the >phony medicines even make it into the legitimate sales >stream. > >"The Internet is pretty much an unregulated flea >market," he said. > >The safety of consumers is at risk as global drug >counterfeiters become more sophisticated in the >manufacturing and marketing of replicas of such >blockbuster drugs as Viagra, Lipitor and Norvasc, >Theriault said. > >They're coming from everywhere, he said. > >The World Health Organization estimates global sales >of counterfeit medicines at $40 billion this year. The >Center for Medicines in the Public Interest in New >York predicts that counterfeit drug sales will reach >$75 billion globally in 2010. > >The reason for the projected increase in the United >States: drug costs increasing by double-digits >annually at a time when many Americans are becoming >responsible for more of their own costs. > >It creates a tempting market for criminals who >counterfeit drugs, Theriault said. It's forcing Pfizer >to add to its global team of investigators. Currently, >the world's largest drug maker employs about 15 >counterfeit investigators, but Theriault is adding a >handful more in the booming counterfeit hubs of China >and India. > >The U.S. drug supply remains one of the safest in the >world, Theriault said. Still, consumers must be >vigilant as they shop for low-priced drugs, >particularly on the Internet, Theriault said. > >Counterfeit drugs are often sold by Web sites that >claim to be legitimate pharmacies based in the United >States or Canada, Theriault said. But the contents of >the drugs vary. Some contain active ingredients, but >others contain no active ingredient or even harmful >ingredients such as boric acid. > >"Congress always asks, 'If this is such a big problem, >where are the bodies?'" Theriault said. "But if >someone believes they are taking a heart medicine, but >it has no active ingredient, we say that is a threat. >We're trying to raise awareness so we don't see a lot >of dead bodies." > >Many times fake drugs look just like the authentic >product. But sometimes there are subtle differences >that consumers should be on the lookout for, Theriault >said. > >For example, the shape or color of a medicine may be >just slightly different in a counterfeit, so patients >should pay attention to make sure the pills all look >the same, he said. Packaging colors or printing may >differ slightly as well. Or the box may not contain >patient safety information. > >The message, Theriault said, is: "Know your medicine." > >David MacKay, a Winnipeg, Canada-based consultant to >Online Canadian Pharmacies, said customers should make >sure any online pharmacy they plan to use requires a >prescription and has a street address. They should >also verify an online pharmacy's license name and >number with the state, province or country in which >the pharmacy operates. > >"At times, the pharmaceutical industry likes to wag >its finger at consumers with some scare tactics" to >keep Americans purchasing their drugs at home, MacKay >said. "Legitimate pharmacies in Canada are just as >much interested in safety as they are. > >"There are licensed and legitimate Canadian pharmacies >that provide perfectly safe medicines," MacKay said. > >But consumers need to be aware that when they purchase >drugs on Internet sites that say they're based in >Canada, it could be that the sites are actually drug >warehouses in another country, Theriault said. > >Back to top

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