FDA Launches Consumer Awareness Campaign
As you know by now, the GIPC is no stranger to highlighting the potential dangers of counterfeits, especially when it comes to treatments and medicines. Today, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) got on board and launched a new national campaign, BeSafeRx, to raise public awareness of the vast presence of illicit pharmacies.
According to the National Association of Board of Pharmacy, of the tens of thousands of pharmacies on the Internet, only 3% abide by standard U.S. health and safety guidelines or laws. That means that 97% of pharmacies that consumers encounter online pose an imminent health and safety risk. This also means that oftentimes without a prescription, unsuspecting consumers are purchasing and consuming fabricated medicines potentially contaminated or made with dangerous levels of metals or toxins.
It’s become increasingly clear that counterfeit goods, including medicines, pose a real public safety hazard. While counterfeit cancer medications and fake malaria vaccinations make headlines, everyday consumers are still unaware that the medicines purchased from illicit pharmacies could, in fact, be ineffective or dangerous fakes. Today’s launch of the FDA’s BeSafeRx campaign provides an important platform to raise public awareness of the growing scourge of counterfeit medicines.
