Questions & Answers Regarding Counterfeit Products
| Q: | What factors drive the production of counterfeit drugs? |
| A: | The Ministry of Economic Development answers this complex question using
the economic model of "cause and effect". www.med.govt.nz/buslt/int_prop/theft/theft-04.html |
| Q: | What are the dangers of drug importation? |
| A: | Easy Internet purchasing, coupled with the increasing cost of health care,
has caused patients to search for new ways to cut health-related expenses,
including obtaining their prescription drugs outside the United States. The
March 2005 P&T Community Journal article, "The Dangers of Drug
Importation", cites safety issues, lack of quality assurance, counterfeit
products, untested ingredients, lack of patient monitoring and poor labeling as
the most significant risks of importation. www.ptcommunity.com/ptjournal/fulltext/30/3/PTJ3003162.pdf |
| Q: | How widespread is the problem of counterfeit prescription medicines? |
| A: | The World Health Organization tracks reported incidents of counterfeit
world-wide and maintains fact sheets on health-related metrics. Although it is
difficult to get an exact measure of the prevalence of counterfeit medicine due
to lack of reporting and varying opinions on what constitutes counterfeit,
10 percent of medicine in the global market, and
25 percent of medicine in developing countries is
estimated to be counterfeit. www.wpro.who.int/media_centre/fact_sheets/fs_20050506.htm |
| Q: | What are the consequences of counterfeit medicine? |
| A: | The consequences of unknowingly taking counterfeit medicine can be grave,
including death. www.wpro.who.int/media_centre/fact_sheets/fs_20050503.htm |
| Q: | What is Abbott doing to protect product from counterfeit, illegal diversion and theft? |
| A: | Abbott's Global Product Protection team is dedicated to protecting Abbott's
products around the world from counterfeit, illegal diversion and theft. To
achieve this goal, Abbott has built their strategy around four key
elements: Secure the Supply Chain. By analyzing the global supply chain for weak points, evaluating track and trace technologies and expanding the use of Exclusive Sourcing Agreements with contracted wholesalers, Abbott is reducing the possibility of product interference.
Ensure Ability to Authenticate This strategy of developing overt and covert security features on packaging presents significant barriers to counterfeiters, and facilitates authentication of Abbott products, encouraging customer confidence.
Disrupt Criminal Organizations Building relationships with local authorities and understanding diverse cultural climates are keys to identifying and dismantling criminal enterprises involved in tampering and theft.
Build Global Momentum Abbott is committed to pursuing stricter laws and regulations regarding counterfeiting and optimizing such opportunities globally.
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| Q: | What can one do to avoid buying and/or receiving counterfeit products? |
| A: | Abbott agrees with the U.S. Food & Drug Administration on how to be
educated consumers in their article "Ensuring Safe Use of
Medicine". www.fda.gov/cder/consumerinfo/ensuring_safe_use_text.htm
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| Q: | What steps can buyers take to help prevent counterfeit products from entering the supply chain? |
| A: | Everyone plays a role in helping to secure the marketplace from counterfeit product. There are a variety of communication channels through which one can ask questions and express concerns about drug counterfeits, poorly repackaged products, confusing or foreign labeled packages, or any other issues regarding your product. Express your concerns to your pharmacist if you are a patient. Involve your wholesaler if you are a facility licensed within the U.S. to provide healthcare to patients, or to distribute to your own consumer customers. Alert the FDA if you have suspicions. As a consumer, join a patient organization that represents your disease and seek advice from them on your medicine, how it should be packaged, its appearance, and your rights to refuse any medicine you are not confident in or are confused about. If your concerns are related to the authenticity of an Abbott product, call Abbott Global Product Protection at (847) 936-5959. |
