Commission warns about fake drugs on the internet

The European Commission (EC) has issued a warning that fake products are being sold as the drug rimonabant via several websites and that patients who buy copies of the drug may be putting their health at risk.

Rimonabant has been developed by sanofi-aventis to treat obesity, related risk factors and smoking cessation and it is still under evaluation by the European Medicines Agency.

Both the EC and pharmaceutical manufacturers are concerned that criminals are taking increasing advantage of the anonymity of the internet to sell fake, adulterated and unlicensed medicines. EC vice-president Guenter Verheugen responsible for enterprise and industry products said he was alarmed at the increasing number of counterfeit medicines sold via the internet. "This represents a real danger to the health of patients. The Commission is working with European and international partners to do everything possible to ensure legal methods for marketing of medicines are respected and enforced,' he said.

According to a recent survey by the Member States, 170 medicines were identified to be counterfeit in the illegal distribution channels over the past five years. Such illegal trade often occurred through the internet. Unauthorised copies and fakes of licensed medicines for the treatment of erectile dysfunction (Viagra and Cialis) and viral infections (Tamiflu) have been on the sales lists of criminal counterfeiters.

Pfizer was quick to issue a statement welcoming the EC's warning and expressing its concern over the surge in counterfeit medicines.

At a recent WHO meeting in Rome in February 2006, Dr Nils Behrndt, deputy head of Pharmaceuticals Unit DG Enterprise and Industry, reported a 1000% increase in counterfeit seizures between 1998 and 2004 in Europe.