The counterfeiting and adulterating of legal drugs is not going away anytime soon. From examining the drug and packaging of any of your prescriptions, to writing your congress representatives, there are some steps we patients can take to begin to improve the safety of our drug supply.
The following is a list of steps patients can take to defend against counterfeit drugs. The list is reprinted with permission from Dangerous Doses, by Katherine Eban, and edited with additional information for About.com's Empowered Patients site.
This advice is offered for both drug prescription drugs obtained through a pharmacy, and over-the-counter (OTC) drugs purchased from any store or through the Internet.
Watch What You Take
- Be familiar with your medicine. If it is a medicine you have taken for awhile, you will know exactly what it should look like. Examine its shape, color and size. If it looks different in any way, or if it tastes different from what you have been used to, return it to the pharmacy immediately, and ask for it to be examined.
If it is a new medicine to you, then research its appearance and description online. If there are discrepancies, or you have questions, ask your pharmacist to examine it while you watch and ask for assurance that the drug is what it should be.
- Look for altered or unsealed packaging, or changes in the package design.
- Make sure the packaging is pristine and has no sticky residue, which can indicate the drug was previously dispensed.
Observe Your Symptoms
- Be aware of new or unusual side effects.
- Be concerned if your medicine stops being effective.
- Be suspicious if an injectable drug stings or causes a rash.
Look for the Latest Warnings and Announcements
- The FDA offers the public an online reporting system for side effects, or any problem a patient may encounter when taking a drug. Included is information about drug safety, label changes and voluntary recall announcements made by pharmaceutical manufacturers.
- For additional information about the specific drug you are taking, visit the drug manufacturer's website. Current drug recalls may also be listed there.
Talk to Your Pharmacist
- He or she may have information from the manufacturer about legitimate changes in the shape, color or taste of the product. They may know about suspicious characteristics that can help determine if a product is counterfeit.
If You Think Your Medicine is Counterfeit
- Tell your pharmacist, your doctor, and the manufacturer. Most manufacturers have phone numbers or e-mail addresses for patients with questions and concerns.
- You or your doctor should submit a report to the FDA on the MedWatch site.
- Once the form has been submitted, the FDA may contact you for more information. Please note: The FDA does not respond directly to every complaint of a suspected counterfeit.
- Keep a sample of your medicine as evidence, even if the manufacturer asks you to send it all back.
Additional Advice
- Buy your drugs, both OTC and pharmaceutical / prescription drugs, from a reputable and licensed seller. You can check credentials through your state pharmacy board or the National Association of Boards of Pharmacy.
- If you are buying from an online pharmacy, look for the National Association of Boards of Pharmacy's Verified Internet Pharmacy seal on that pharmacy's website as proof that the site has met state and federal requirements. Or, check the NABP's master list online.
- If you are having trouble paying for your drugs, don't be fooled by sham organizations that offer to help you obtain your drugs for free or at a reduced cost. There are some bona fide organizations to help you. Learn more about them through the Partnership for Prescription Assistance.
- Learn how others are combating counterfeit drugs at No To Fakes.
- Write to your congressional representatives to share your opinions about counterfeit drugs and the government's efforts to stop them.
Learn More about Counterfeit Drugs
- Read Dangerous Doses, by Katherine Eban,
- The Partnership for Safe Medicines
- National Consumers League
- The Food and Drug Administration's Information About Counterfeit Drugs
- Stay on top of breaking news about counterfeit medicines
Read The Entire About.com Patient Empowerment Series on counterfeit drugs:
- Counterfeit Drugs: From Organized Crime to Neighborhood Pharmacies
- How Do Drug Counterfeiters Make Their Money?
- How Do Counterfeit Drugs Make Their Way Into the Legal Drug Supply?
- What is Being Done to Stop Counterfeit Drugs?
- How Can Patients Protect Themselves From Counterfeit Drugs?
