Be aware if counterfeit medicine

Counterfeit drugs are fake or copycat medicines that can be difficult to identify. The deliberate and fraudulent practice of counterfeiting can apply to both brand name and generic products, where the identity of the source is often mislabeled in a way that suggests it is the authentic approved product. Counterfeit drugs may

* Be contaminated.
* Not help the condition or disease the medicine is intended to treat.
* Lead to dangerous side effects.
* Contain the wrong active ingredient.
* Be made with the wrong amounts of ingredients.
* Contain no active ingredients at all or contain too much of an active ingredient.
* Be packaged in phony packaging that looks legitimate.

For example, counterfeit versions of the FDA-approved weight loss drug Xenical, which contains the active ingredient orlistat, recently were obtained by three consumers from two different Web sites. The agency announced in May 2007 that none of the capsules that the consumers received contained orlistat. In fact, laboratory analysis showed that one capsule actually contained sibutramine, which is the active ingredient in Meridia, a prescription drug also approved by FDA to help obese people lose weight and maintain weight loss.

Using medication that contains an active ingredient other than what was prescribed by your licensed health care provider is generally unsafe.

FDA also became aware recently of a number of people who placed orders over the Internet for

• Ambien (zolpidem tartnate)
  
• Xanax (alprazolam)
  
• Lexapro (escitalopram oxalate)
  
• Ativan (lorazepam)
  

Instead of the intended drug, several customers received a product that contained haloperidol, a powerful anti-psychotic drug. As a result, some sought emergency medical treatment for symptoms such as difficulty in breathing, muscle spasms and muscle stiffness—all problems that can occur with haloperidol.

FDA continues to be proactive in aggressively protecting consumers from counterfeit drugs. The agency is working with drug manufacturers, wholesalers, and retailers to identify and prevent counterfeit drugs. FDA also has created an internal task force to explore the use of modern technologies and other measures that will make it more difficult for counterfeit drugs to get mixed up with, or deliberately substituted for, safe and effective drugs.

Generally, medications that have not been purchased with a prescription from a state-licensed pharmacy located in the United States may be unsafe and ineffective. But remember, even those drugs that are purchased from a state-licensed pharmacy Web site cannot be guaranteed safe and effective.