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| Weekly Update | September 13, 2010 |
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Unapproved Cancer Drug Sold Online Found to be Starch and
Sugar
A Canadian
man was sentenced to 33 months in prison by an Arizona judge after pleading
guilty to distributing counterfeit drugs earlier this year. Hazim
Gaber had pleaded guilty to five counts of wire fraud in connection to selling
a white powder he claimed was the experimental cancer drug dichloroacetate
(DCA) to at least 65 patients from a now defunct illegal online pharmacy,
DCAdvice.com, according to the Edmonton Journal.
Research
conducted in 2007 at the University of Alberta showed that DCA shrunk breast,
lung and brain tumors in lab rats. However, the drug has yet to get approval
from health authorities. That did not stop Gaber from selling the counterfeit
drugs, claiming that he was the only legal supplier of DCA and that he was
being supported by the university. |
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Testing
revealed that the powder that Gaber sold was simply a counterfeit drug, made of
starch, dextrin, dextrose or lactose. Gaber charged $110.27, plus shipping and
handling, for the fake medication. According to the plea agreement, he sent the
counterfeit drugs, along with phony certificates of analysis and instructions
on how to take the powder, to people in the U.S., Canada, the UK, Holland and
Belgium.
Assistant
Attorney General Lanny A. Breuer said in a statement that Gaber's actions
constituted a "new low." "Hazim Gaber went from selling false
hope to cancer patients to now spending 33 months in a U.S. prison," the
statement said. "Criminals often seek to exploit the most vulnerable of
victims - but offering fake, unapproved medication to cancer patients reaches a
new low.
The case
was investigated by the Phoenix FBI Cyber Squad with help from local
authorities and the Edmonton police, who were first alerted to the counterfeit
drugs in 2007 when a local woman told them that the medication she purchased
from Gaber came in a spice bottle that was dissimilar to the packaging of DCA
she had previously used. A number of similar complaints followed and Gaber was
eventually arrested in Frankfurt, Germany, in July 2009. In addition to the
33-month sentence, U.S. District Court Judge James Teilborg imposed a $128,800
in fines and restitution.
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Top News
Resistance to Counterfeit Drug
Smuggling Continues to Grow The
Catholic church joined many governments in their concern over counterfeit
drugs, issuing a statement that it is in "the best interest of all concerned
that smuggling of counterfeit drugs be fought against". According to many officials
and researchers, the pope's concern is justified and Roger Bate of the American
Enterprise Institute points out that an estimated that counterfeits kill at
least 100,000 people a year, mostly in the poor world. The large number of
counterfeit-drug related deaths is in part related to the criminals' ability to
infiltrate the legitimate supply chain. Many hope new methods of combating the
problem, such as cell phone technology, will detract counterfeiters from the
drug market. ("Poison Pills," The
Economist, September 2, 2010; Story
here)
Anti-Counterfeiting Technology Uses
Radio Waves to Find Fake Drugs
Lund
University Researchers from Sweden and the U.K. recently developed an
anti-counterfeiting technology that they hope can combat the problem of fake
drugs, particularly in Africa, according to AlphaGalileo.org.
The researchers have created a prototype of the device. It resembles a small
suitcase and users place the medication in its packaging in the device, which
tells them whether the drugs are authentic or not. It is intended to be used by
pharmacists and customs agents. (Partnership for Safe Medicines, September 8,
2010; Link
here) |
World News
US: Prominent Wisconsin Pharmacist
Arrested on Counterfeit Drug Importation Charges A
Wisconsin pharmacist was recently arrested on charges that she imported and
sold millions of pills of phony erectile dysfunction medication and other
counterfeit drugs. Marla Ahlgrimm, who owns a number of businesses in Madison,
Wisconsin, was arrested when she walked into her office while authorities were
executing a search warrant, according to the Wisconsin State Journal. Ahlgrimm
is accused of selling counterfeit drugs along with Balbir Bhogal of Middleton,
Wisconsin. Both were charged in the federal court for the Eastern District of
New York. (Partnership for Safe Medicines,
September 8, 2010; Link
here)
Zanzibar: Authorities Seize Stockpiles
of Counterfeit Drugs The
Zanzibar Food, Drugs and Cosmetics Board and the Interpol branch in Tanzania
recently joined forces to seize and impound counterfeit drugs during a special
operation targeting various drug outlets. Hundreds of cartons of counterfeit
drugs which pose a risk to consumer health were impounded. About 50 outlets,
including 24 pharmacies and 26 drug-dispensing shops were inspected in parts of
the Zanzibar archipelago. Among the impounded drugs included medicine for
malaria, said the board registrar, Dr Burhani Othman Simai. Simai also stated
that the crime was just as serious as money laundering and not only poses a
public health risk but causes real economic harm. ("Board impounds counterfeit
drugs," The Citizen, September 2,
2010; Story
here)
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Events
PSM's Inaugural 2010 Interchange
When: Friday, Oct 8, 2010
Where: Washington, D.C. The Partnership for Safe Medicines invites you to save the date for an intimate conference bringing together patient groups, providers, pharmaceutical company quality experts, enforcement personnel, policymakers, regulatory agency experts and other interested parties to discuss key issues around counterfeit drugs and other unsafe medicines. Register by August 1st to take advantage of reduced registration fees.
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About the Partnership for Safe Medicines
The Partnership for Safe Medicines is a group of organizations and individuals that have policies, procedures, or programs to protect consumers from counterfeit or contraband medicines. For more information, please visit SafeMedicines.org.
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