Articles from July 2007

Fake medicines being sold in Indonesia 

Police in central Jakarta, Indonesia conducted surveillance and a test purchase of prescription and non-prescription medicines being sold over the counter in a small drug store. The authenticity of the medicines was verified with Badan Pengawasan Obat dan Makanan (BPOM), the Indonesian Government’s food and drug supervisory agency and the medicines were declared to be counterfeit. The investigation was conducted in collaboration with the United States Department of Justice International Criminal Investigative Training Assistance Program. (20 July 2007, United States Department of Justice International Criminal Investigative Training Assistance Program, American Embassy, Jakarta, Indonesia)

Fake Plavix® filled with cement powder seized in Dubai

Customs authorities in Dubai have foiled a plot to flood the market with over half a million counterfeit pills ofthe blockbuster blood-thinner Plavix® (clopidogrel), made by sanofi-aventis. Around 20,000 boxes containing 556,000 fake versions of Plavix® were seized, with an estimated value of around 5 million dirhams (around 1 million Euros), at the city’s Cargo Village. (5 July 2007, www.pharmatimes.com)