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It's a story we've seen repeated often over the past decade - fake, substandard, or counterfeit medications sold on a global scale - capable of endangering the lives of millions of people each year.
Some of these drugs have none of the promised active ingredients, while others may be less potent than advertised, or are laced with potentially dangerous substitutes or fillers. Often more money is spent trying to duplicate the packaging of a legitimate product, than is spent producing the medicine itself.
A prime example, In 2012, in FDA Warning On Fake Adderall we learned that some of these drugs don’t even come close to containing what they advertise:
FDA’s preliminary laboratory tests revealed that the counterfeit version of Teva’s Adderall 30 mg tablets contained the wrong active ingredients. Adderall contains four active ingredients – dextroamphetamine saccharate, amphetamine aspartate, dextroamphetamine sulfate, and amphetamine sulfate. Instead of these active ingredients, the counterfeit product contained tramadol and acetaminophen, which are ingredients in medicines used to treat acute pain.
In 2013 The Lancet reported that 1/3rd Of Malaria Drugs Are Fake Or Sub-Standard, while two years later - in 2015's The Lancet: WHO Estimates That 50% Of Drugs For Sale Online Are Fake - we looked at a long report on the spectacular growth of fake online prescription drugs.
In 2018, we saw Pakistan Media Reports: Scores Of `Counterfeit' Drugs Removed From Punjab Hospitals, while more recently our own government has repeatedly warned of substandard and unsafe PPEs and hand sanitizers flooding the market during the pandemic (see NIOSH & FDA Updates On Counterfeit N95 Respirators & Hand Sanitizers).
In 2017, Changchun Changsheng Life Sciences Limited allegedly sold 500K doses of defective diphtheria, pertussis, and tetanus (DPT) vaccine, while the following year we saw an avian influenza vaccine scandal in Taiwan (see Taiwan's Counterfeit AI Vaccine Trade).And yes, we've even seen fake vaccines being sold, and used, around the world.
With a global scramble of limited supplies of COVID-19 vaccines, Interpol issued an Orange Notice today on the risks of seeing fake, substandard, or possibly even stolen vaccines offered online or even entering the supply chain.
INTERPOL warns of organized crime threat to COVID-19 vaccines
2 December 2020
INTERPOL warns of organized crime threat to COVID-19 vaccines
LYON, France – INTERPOL has issued a global alert to law enforcement across its 194 member countries warning them to prepare for organized crime networks targeting COVID-19 vaccines, both physically and online.
The INTERPOL Orange Notice outlines potential criminal activity in relation to the falsification, theft and illegal advertising of COVID-19 and flu vaccines, with the pandemic having already triggered unprecedented opportunistic and predatory criminal behaviour.
It also includes examples of crimes where individuals have been advertising, selling and administering fake vaccines.
As a number of COVID-19 vaccines come closer to approval and global distribution, ensuring the safety of the supply chain and identifying illicit websites selling fake products will be essential.
The need for coordination between law enforcement and health regulatory bodies will also play a vital role to ensure the safety of individuals and wellbeing of communities are protected.
Vaccines prime target of organized crime
“As governments are preparing to roll out vaccines, criminal organizations are planning to infiltrate or disrupt supply chains.”Jürgen Stock, INTERPOL Secretary General
“Criminal networks will also be targeting unsuspecting members of the public via fake websites and false cures, which could pose a significant risk to their health, even their lives.
“It is essential that law enforcement is as prepared as possible for what will be an onslaught of all types of criminal activity linked to the COVID-19 vaccine, which is why INTERPOL has issued this global warning,” concluded Secretary General Stock.
As well as targeting COVID-19 vaccines, as international travel gradually resumes it is likely that testing for the virus will become of greater importance, resulting in a parallel production and distribution of unauthorized and falsified testing kits.
Online dangers
With an increasing amount of COVID-related frauds, INTERPOL is also advising members of the public to take special care when going online to search for medical equipment or medicines.
In addition to the dangers of ordering potentially life-threatening products, an analysis by the INTERPOL’s Cybercrime Unit revealed that of 3,000 websites associated with online pharmacies suspected of selling illicit medicines and medical devices, around 1,700 contained cyber threats, especially phishing and spamming malware.
To avoid falling victim to online scams, it is important to be vigilant, be skeptical and be safe, as offers which appear too good to be true usually are. Always check with your national health authorities or the World Health Organization for the latest health advice in relation to COVID-19.
It is almost inevitable that selling counterfeit `vaccination certificates' will become a lucrative business, as well - particularly if governments and businesses begin using them as `immunity passports'.
For more on international efforts to curb the manufacture and sale of fake or counterfeit medicine, you may wish to visit Interpol's Operation Pangea page:
21 November 2019
