Counterfeit Medication Research Paper

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Counterfeit Medications By Yolanda Smith, BPharm A counterfeit medication or drug is defined as a pharmaceutical product that is produced and sold with the intention to deceive the consumer about the origin, authenticity or efficacy of the product. This has the potential to be dangerous for consumers as the formulation may contain unusual ingredients or quantities of the ingredients, which can affect the effect of the medication in the body. Additionally, mislabeling of the pharmaceutical goods may also cause problems Issues with Counterfeit Medications There are several different errors that may be intentional or accidental that may cause a medication to be classified as counterfeit. These include: • Inappropriate dose of active ingredient …show more content…

However, it is important that patients check that the pharmacy they use is registered and able to legally sell medications before purchasing online. Response of the Pharmaceutical Industry Counterfeit medications are also a significant problem for pharmaceutical industries that profit from the sale of genuine medications. It is in their interest, and in the interest of the public health, to reduce the rates of counterfeit medications and ensure that the public has access to medications that have been tested for safety and efficacy. As a result, pharmaceutical manufacturers and distributors have been investing into certain measures to reduce the impact of counterfeit medications. This includes creating technologies to trace and authenticate medications as a way to reduce the impact and feasibility of counterfeit drugs. Generic Medication vs. Counterfeit Medication It is important to establish that generic medications that offer original brand medications at a lower cost are not counterfeit or fake medications. However, generic medications may sometimes be involved in enforcement measure to reduce the counterfeiting of …show more content…

These medications must undergo quality control testing in order to be approved for public use and the labeling must be accurate, similar to the requirements for new drugs entering the

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