Pfizer, FDA warn about fake Viagra in California

U.S. regulators warned on Wednesday that fake versions of Pfizer Inc.'s impotence pill Viagra had been found in two retail pharmacies in California.

The Food and Drug Administration said it and Pfizer "are analyzing the counterfeit product to determine its true composition and whether it poses any health risks."

"To date, there has been no indication of a safety concern or adverse events related to this counterfeit product.

However, only genuine Viagra is approved by the FDA and can be considered to be safe and effective," Pfizer said in a letter to pharmacists that was posted on the company's Web site.

Patients worried about the authenticity of their Viagra tablets should speak to their pharmacist, Pfizer said.

The counterfeit pills have been found in two pharmacies located in Glendale and Fresno, California, the FDA said.

Pfizer spokesman Byrant Haskins said "there's nothing to suggest it's a widespread counterfeiting issue."

The fake pills were discovered after a patient who bought Viagra at the Glendale pharmacy noticed unusual printing on the packaging and other variations, Haskins said. Tests confirmed those tablets were fake.

A pharmacist in Fresno also suspected he might have some counterfeit Viagra tablets. Those pills came from the same lot as the fake ones in Glendale, Haskins said.

The FDA said the suspect tablets at both pharmacies were confirmed to be counterfeit. Haskins said he had not been told that the pills in Fresno were confirmed as fakes.

Haskins also said he did not know if the Fresno pharmacist became suspicious of the pills before selling them, or whether some had been dispensed to consumers.

The fake tablets look similar to the real thing but have several deviations, the FDA said. For example, the counterfeit tablets have more pronounced edges and are a lighter blue than real ones.

Viagra, which had worldwide sales of nearly $1.9 billion last year, is a frequent target for counterfeiters. Pfizer said it was introducing new packaging designed to make the Viagra label harder for criminals to copy.