Journal: Counterfeit Market Doubling, Risking Supply Chains
A report in the International Journal of Clinical Practice has found that the market for counterfeit pharmaceuticals has "doubled in the last five years to more than $75 million," reports Medical News Today.
The reports notes that the increase is threatening the integrity of secure supply chains-an issue that came to prominence last week as counterfeit copies of the oncology drug Avastin were found in the US. Many of the counterfeit drugs don't contain the active pharmaceutical ingredient that makes the drug effective, notes the report's author, Dr.Graham Jackson.
The rise in counterfeits can be traced in part to consumers' ability to use the Internet to order drug products. "Although many consumers acknowledge some degree of risk with purchasing medications via the Internet, speed, convenience and cost often prompt these purchases," said Jackson.
Read more: Medical news Today - Fake Drugs Increasing On The Net And Finding Their Way Into Legitimate Supplies