Beware the dangers of fake medicine, experts urge
Authorities carry out regular raids to stamp out trade in counterfeit drugs
Fake Viagra, growth hormones and other counterfeit medicine are putting people’s lives at risk, experts say.
Pharmaceutical companies warned of a booming trade in smuggled products that can often contain substitutes such as fentanyl, a powerful synthetic opioid, and lead paint or arsenic.
Other common counterfeit medications sold illegally in the UAE include human growth hormone used by bodybuilders.
Although exact figures were not revealed, representatives from US drug maker Pfizer said Viagra was the most commonly seized counterfeit drug in the UAE.
“It’s a global problem as criminals view counterfeit medicine as high reward, with low risk,” said Steve Jones, director of global security at Pfizer.
“Patients are taking fake medicines assuming they will make them well but that could have the wrong dose or be dangerous if containing toxins.
“We have recorded pesticides, arsenic and even lead paint to give colour to pills. They can do real harm and cause death in extreme cases.”
Mr Jones was addressing a two-day summit in Dubai aimed at improving detection methods for smuggled drugs.
Experts said fake drugs were commonly made in backstreet laboratories in China, India and South America, and brought to the UAE hidden in everyday items.
Thousands of pills have been intercepted by port authorities, hidden in hollowed-out blocks of marble destined for construction projects.
They have also been hidden in electronic door bells, stuffed toys, rice cookers, television boxes and furniture.
Fake Viagra often has a slightly different colour, texture or taste. Other drugs being faked include Lipitor, an anti-cholesterol drug, and Genotropin, a growth hormone used for underdeveloped children and by bodybuilders.
“Viagra has been available for a while and there is a big market for it,” said Mr Jones, who used to work in the narcotics division of the UK National Crime Agency. “Because of that we get a lot of reporting on Viagra.
“Our biggest concern is these drugs are being made in unlicensed and unregulated conditions that are often unhygienic, so there is a serious risk to public health. If anyone has a doubt over any medication, they should contact their local authority and report it.”
Drug analysts in Houston, Texas, have reported traces of fentanyl in some fake pharmaceuticals. The drug, which can be lethal, has been found in fake Oxycodone and Xanax, prescribed to treat pain, anxiety and panic disorders.
Between 2013 and 2014, more than 700 fentanyl-related deaths occurred in America.
The internet is proving a universal marketplace for counterfeit medicine, experts say.
A report last year by the UK Intellectual Property Office found social media was “the most distinctive medium” for selling counterfeit goods.
Hatem Abdelghani, director of the Legal Group, a Dubai company offering training and partnerships between brands and local authorities against counterfeiting, said there were up to four UAE raids on fake merchandise a day.
“We come across fake goods every day in Dubai and elsewhere in the UAE, with Viagra the most common medication we are recovering,” Mr Abdelghani said. “It is a constant effort – once a week in Sharjah and twice a week in Ajman.
“We can send mystery shoppers in as buyers to traders suspected of selling any counterfeit items. If we have evidence we then notify the client or brand and seek a penalty from authorities so action can be taken.”
Penalties depend on the level of offence and if the trader is a repeat offender, and vary between emirates.
In Sharjah, it is usually 50 per cent of the value of fake products seized, while in Ajman it is Dh15,000 for each offence and in Dubai up to Dh120,000, Mr Abdelghani said.
“In the biggest cases shops can be shut down,” he said.
“With the help of police the offender can be sent to the criminal court for sentencing.”