The Dangers of Counterfeit Pharmaceuticals
Today, Los Angeles County Sheriff Luna, Association for Safe Online Pharmacies, National Association of Boards of Pharmacy, Crimestoppers, LAPD, Homeland Security, HALT, The National Intellectual Property Rights Center, and Danny Trejo came together to bring awareness on counterfeit medicines that kill people daily.
Counterfeit Pharmaceuticals are an ongoing problem, and everything must be done to protect the lives that are affected. The message that needs to be conveyed to the public is, “BAD MEDS KILL REAL PEOPLE.”
We want to encourage community members to make better decisions when buying their pharmaceuticals and to ensure they buy from legitimate sources to guarantee that the medicines they receive are authentic.
A Public Service Announcement starring actor Danny Trejo was created to connect with the public and spread awareness of counterfeit medicine’s dangers.
Alliance of Safe Online Pharmacies provided information during forensic lab testing revealing that four of every ten counterfeit pills contain a potentially lethal dose of harmful ingredients. In fact, according to The World Health Organization, more than one million deaths occur annually from counterfeit or substandard medicine and drugs. With the COVID-19 pandemic driving more than half of American consumers to purchase medicine online and 95% of the world’s 35,000 online pharmacies operating illegally, the risk of receiving “Bad Meds” is more significant than ever.
This is a serious issue for all of us and by coming together, we can save lives!
PSA
Report Counterfeit Pharmaceuticals
If you would like to report an instance of counterfeit pharmaceuticals, Please report it here:
REPORT COUNTERFEIT PHARMACEUTICALS – Form
Or you can remain anonymous by calling Los Angeles-Crime Stoppers at 800-222-TIPS or by visiting lacrimestoppers.org.
Before You Buy, Verify. Beware of fraudulent and unsafe prescription medication sold on websites and social media platforms. Search for a website to see if it is safe or not recommended: https://safe.pharmacy/buy-safely/
