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Today marks the first anniversary of Fight the Fakes campaign! Fight the Fakes works to raise awareness of the dangers of fake medicines, sharing the stories of those who have been impacted by fake medicines and those who are working to put a stop to this crime against patients. Fake medicines present a serious threat to global health, and can lead to further illness, disability and even death. Fake medicines also increase worldwide resistance to Read more…

We are proud to announce the International Pharmaceutical Federation (FIP) as a new partner of the Fight the Fakes campaign! FIP is the global federation of national associations of pharmacists and pharmaceutical scientists, and is a non-governmental organisation in official relations with the World Health Organization. Through its 132 member organisations, it represents over three million practitioners and scientists around the world. The federation has been actively engaged in combating the threat fake medicines pose to public Read more…

This article was originally published in Devex. #HealthyMeans access to quality medicines By Ronald Piervincenzi // 17 November 2014 A pharmacist in Nepal selects medicine for a patient. Global health development efforts are finally beginning to pay off in the form of reduced mortality rates and increased longevity. Since the adoption of the Millennium Development Goals, in particular, the global community has made significant strides to improve access to health care services for disadvantaged communities Read more…

Fight the Fakes partners the Center for Safe Internet Pharmacies (CSIP) and the Alliance for Safe Online Pharmacies (ASOP) have launched a 520ft2 billboard in Times Square, New York, warning consumers to be vigilant when purchasing medicines online. The ad, which will run through Jan 2015, highlights that 97% of online pharmacies in the US are illegal, and do not comply with US laws and standards. Purchasing medicines from these illegitimate websites is effectively, “gambling Read more…

Researchers from universities and institutes across Europe, including Fight the Fakes partner IRACM, have recently launched FakeCare, an integrated approach to mapping the phenomenon of fake medicines across the continent. The problem of fake medicines in Europe has increased dramatically with the rise of the Internet, allowing criminals to circumvent traditional distribution channels and directly reach patients online. For the most part outside of the reach of regulatory authorities and law enforcement, medicine counterfeiters set up Read more…

Fight the Fakes partner Partnership for Safe Medicines (PSM) India held it’s annual conference, “Patient Safety and Access to Quality Healthcare” on 6-8 November in Haridwar, India. The conference, attended by over 200 participants from patient groups, medical and research cernters and government offices, highlighted fake medicines as a global crisis in need of multi-sectoral collaboration. In India, as in many countries, patients lack the required information and resources to keep themselves safe. As a Read more…

The US FDA has kicked off a campaign directed at healthcare practitioners and pharmacies nationwide. Fake medicines are often pushed to healthcare professionals under the guise of “too good to be true” sales. Healthcare professionals should be mindful of where the source their medicines as rouge wholesalers and distributers are often pushing unsafe, unregulated pills. The FDA states: In order to protect your patients from unsafe or ineffective drugs, FDA urges health care professionals to Read more…