Police warn two recent cases of counterfeit drugs found in Ontario pharmacies are likely to be followed by more.
"We are seeing counterfeiting
becoming a much larger problem than in
past years," said RCMP Const. Judy Lawrence.
"Unfortunately, the counterfeiters
are counterfeiting items that will now
affect people's health and safety, such
as pharmaceuticals."
The registrar of the Ontario
College of Pharmacists says the
arrests of pharmacists on such charges
could have started a disturbing trend.
"It was really something
that we did not see in Canada," said
Deanna Williams. "It was something we
considered to be ... unthinkable."
Globally, the counterfeit
drug trade is on the rise, particularly
on the internet, according to drug regulators
and police.
The differences between
real drugs and imitations can be subtle.
Health Canada advises consumers
to be familiar with the colour, size
and shape of the pills they take, and
to ask questions if things look or taste
differently.
In Hamilton, a pharmacist faces
charges that he sold counterfeit
heart and blood-pressure medication.
Earlier this week, a pharmacist
in Richmond Hill, north of Toronto, was
in court on charges related to selling
imitation Viagra, both at a drugstore
and through an online pharmacy.
"It was really alarming
for us that happened, and I think it's
unrealistic for us to think, if there
were two, that those were the only isolated
cases we are ever going to see," Lawrence
said.
Last month, Health
Canada issued
an advisory warning people to be
cautious if buying the anti-flu medication
Tamiflu online.
via: CBC
Health & Science News
related
CBC News Indepth: Cross-border
Rx
related Marketplace story: Pros
and Cons of Buying Drugs Online
murmur categories: health
tags: consumers consumer news consumerism medicine health drugs counterfeit
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