The World Health Organisation (WHO) outlines the following qualities of spurious/falsely-labelled/ falsified/counterfeit (SFFC) medical products:
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SFFC medicines are medicines that are deliberately and fraudulently mislabelled with respect to identity and/or source.
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Use of SFFC medicines can result in treatment failure or even death.
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Public confidence in health systems may be eroded following use and/or detection of SFFC medicines.
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Both branded and generic products are subject to counterfeiting.
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All kinds of medicines have been counterfeited, from medicines for the treatment of life-threatening conditions to inexpensive generic versions of painkillers and antihistamines.
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SFFC medicines may include products with the correct ingredients or with the wrong ingredients, without active ingredients, with insufficient or too much active ingredient, or with fake packaging.
The WHO has an unparalleled role to play in the fight against fake medicines. Visit their page on SFFC products to learn more about public health risks, the extent of the problem, and what WHO is doing in response.
