Counterfeit Glycerin Floods Global Markets – Patients at Risk
Posted Oct 28 2008 9:56pm
As Congress takes up Senator Byron Dorgan’s (D-ND) S.242 which would allow for prescription drug importation today, the New York Times ran a startling story about drug safety. Drug counterfeiters in China are using diethylene glycol instead of the more expensive glycerin syrup. The Times reports that these counterfeit syrups have killed thousands of people in mass poisonings in several countries over the last 20 years.
According to the Times, “In China, the government is vowing to clean up its pharmaceutical industry, in part because of criticism over counterfeit drugs flooding the world markets. In December, two top drug regulators were arrested on charges of taking bribes to approve drugs. In addition, 440 counterfeiting operations were closed down last year, the World Health Organization said.” Yet, this crackdown is just scrapping the surface of a huge problem.
This is a timely story because of the ease of which of obtaining these tainted products through Internet pharmacies. Senator Dorgan’s bill will, unfortunately, open the doors to counterfeit drugs in the U.S. and harm patient safety.
According to the Times, “In China, the government is vowing to clean up its pharmaceutical industry, in part because of criticism over counterfeit drugs flooding the world markets. In December, two top drug regulators were arrested on charges of taking bribes to approve drugs. In addition, 440 counterfeiting operations were closed down last year, the World Health Organization said.” Yet, this crackdown is just scrapping the surface of a huge problem.
This is a timely story because of the ease of which of obtaining these tainted products through Internet pharmacies. Senator Dorgan’s bill will, unfortunately, open the doors to counterfeit drugs in the U.S. and harm patient safety.
This has been previously covered in the Realities of Importation, UN Report on Drug Counterfeiting and Counterfeit Drugs.