Counterfeiting

Pfizer Sells On-Line to Dampen Fake Viagra's Rise

07-May-2013 - Pfizer has begun selling Viagra online in order to counter the trade in fake versions of its erectile dysfunction drug.

DISPATCHES FROM INTERPHEX

AlpVision's iPhone Tech Offers Authentication in War on Counterfeits

07-May-2013 - In the war against counterfeits, regulators have concentrated on serialisation and ePedigree and missed an opportunity on product authentication, according to AlpVision.

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Sanofi Starts Semisynthetic Malaria Drug Production

17-Apr-2013 - Sanofi has started making artemisinin using a novel semisynthetic method it says will strengthen the global supplies of malaria drugs.

MHRA: Full Force of UK Law Against Drug Counterfeiters

02-Apr-2013 - The global rise in counterfeit medicine and illegal online pharmacies is a regulatory ongoing battle, according to the MHRA.

Raman Spectroscopic Device in Fight Against Counterfeit Drugs

27-Feb-2013 - As an FDA commissioned report on counterfeit drugs is released the potential to detect them may lie in a handheld API analyzing device.

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Denmark asks API users to register; EU sets out GMP assessment criteria

29-Jan-2013 - Danish companies that make, use, distribute or import APIs will need to register by March 1 or cease operations according to the Danish Health and Medicines Authority (DKMA).

SFDA ups rewards for people who shop illegal drugmakers

17-Jan-2013 - People who report illegal drug production could now earn up to 300,000 Yuan ($48,250) under a revised reward scheme launched by the SFDA.

WHO never claimed 20 per cent of Indian drugs are fake, says CDSCO

18-Sep-2012 - Reports citing WHO data on the number of fake drugs produced and sold in India are wrong according to the CDSCO.

SFDA to keep a public blacklist of pharma manufacturing offenders

20-Aug-2012 - The SFDA will name and shame companies and individuals responsible for violations of drug and medical device laws in a public blacklist.

EXCLUSIVE QUOTES

Stop online sales of counterfeit drugs, say industry big boys

24-Jul-2012 - Four of the biggest pharma manufacturing associations are calling for more patient awareness of the burgeoning issue of fake drugs sold on the internet.

Biologics stability fears make RFID too costly, GE tells EC

18-Jun-2012 - GE has told the EC the need to test how RFID affects biologic stability means it is too costly to use in anti-counterfeiting.

Mettler Toledo take track and trace offering to the US

14-Jun-2012 - Mettler Toledo is taking its ramped-up track and trace offering to the US in a bid to plug what it says is a sizeable gap in the market.

EXCLUSIVE

GDUFA means a level playing field for generics makers, says SOCMA

04-Jun-2012 - The new Generic Drugs User Fee Act (GDUFA) means a “level playing field” for drugmakers, according to SOCMA members.

Indian minister rails against anti-generics smear campaign

09-May-2012 - The Indian government says multinational companies are running “a concerted campaign” against its generics industry.

Raw material woes for Pakistan could lead to swift exit for drugsmakers, says ABC

23-Apr-2012 - The American Business Council (ABC) has warned US drugsmakers working in Pakistan to brace themselves for supply chain disruptions as the Government imposes heavy delays on the process used to...

Merck tells FDA a clearer crude heparin definition is needed

16-Apr-2012 - Merck & Co has asked the FDA for a “clear and unambiguous” definition of crude heparin to improve draft guidance.

USP plans Ghana lab to offer QC services & training in Africa

10-Apr-2012 - USP plans to open a laboratory and training centre in Ghana to strengthen quality control and offer services in sub-Saharan Africa.

IOM calls on G20 to strengthen emerging market regulators

05-Apr-2012 - The G20 should add investment in developing countries’ regulatory systems to its agenda to secure the drug supply chain, an IOM report said.

FDA finds more counterfeit Roche oncology drugs in US

04-Apr-2012 - The FDA has found counterfeits of a Roche oncology drug in US medical practices six weeks after the discovery of fake Avastin.

Longer punishments are poor fake drug deterrents; academic

29-Mar-2012 - An academic has questioned the wisdom of longer maximum penalties for counterfeiters at a House meeting to discuss sentencing.

India finds 1,420 substandard drug samples in first half of ‘11

28-Mar-2012 - In the first six months of fiscal 2011 tests of drug samples found 1,420 substandard pharmaceuticals in India.

More than 80% of Nigerian anti-malarials fail USP tests; study

27-Mar-2012 - More than four-fifths of anti-malarials sampled in Nigeria failed to meet USP specifications for one of the APIs, researchers found.

UN cracks down on internet drugs fraudsters

01-Mar-2012 - The UN has urged Governments to crack down on the growing number of fake drugs being sold online.

Annual WHO meeting to tackle spread of substandard drugs

06-Feb-2012 - The WHO is urging countries to collaborate on tackling substandard drugs and strengthening supply chains at a new annual meeting.

FDA calls for more powers to adopt nationwide ePedigree

02-Feb-2012 - The US FDA has called for more authority to ensure any track-and-trace system is binding for industry and pre-empts state laws.