News alert: Counterfeit CIPLA ARV Drugs

[Guest guest]

Dear FORUM,

It appears that counterfeit ARVs are availabel in the Democratic Republic of

Congo (DRC)Bottles and blisters (without carton boxes) were labeled as either

" Triomune " or " Duovir " , which are Cipla's brands for respectively d4T-3TC-NVP

and 3TC-ZDV are sold in DRC. NACO, physicians prescribing ARVS, community

groups, and people living with HIV are to be alerted immediatly.

It would have been useful if somebody could share their experince in How to

idenitfy and avoid fake drugs (ARVs) [Moderator]

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Cross posted from E-DRUG

E-DRUG: counterfeit ARVs in DRC

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Dear colleagues,

we are sending this message to inform about the presence of counterfeited

antiretroviral drugs in Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). Fake antiretrovirals

were found in December 2003 in Lubumbashi, DRC. Bottles and blisters (without

carton boxes) were labeled as either " Triomune " or " Duovir " , which are Cipla's

brands for respectively d4T-3TC-NVP and 3TC-ZDV.

Manufactures mentioned in the labels are Geneva pharmaceuticals Technology

corp., Dayton, NJ 08810 USA ; Glaxo pharmaceuticals, Inc., Johannesburg, FL

3247, manufactured by Alpharma USPD Inc., South Africa, MD 21244 ; Copley

pharmaceuticals, Inc., Sun city, FL 33637, manufactured by Alpharma USPD Inc.,

South Africa, MD 21244; Bausch & Lomb Pharmaceuticals, Inc., Sun City, FL 33

637, manufactured by Alpharma USPD Inc. South Africa, MD 21244.

It seems from preliminary investigation that the counterfeiters have put fake

labels on bottles containing non-ARV pharmaceutical products. Some of these

tablets have been identified and contain either Fluvoxamine, an antidepressant

drug, or Cyclobenzaprine, a muscle relaxant.

Apparently, this illegal circuit of fake products target directly prescribers

and patients, by proposing them to buy " ARVs cheaper than the ones of Cipla " .

Local health authorities have been promptly informed. Even if the appearance of

the counterfeits is quite poor, people can be tempted to use them because of the

cheaper price, so exposing themselves to life-threatening conditions. It is

important to alert both health staff and patients about the presence of this

criminal circuit, and to raise awareness that non-official distribution channels

should always be avoided.

Sandrine Cloez, Cécile Macé, Raffaella Ravinetto

Médecins Sans Frontières

E-mail: Raffaella.RAVINETTO@...

Dr Shanthi Pal

Technical Officer

HTP/EDM/QSM, WHO

1211 Geneva 27

Switzerland

Tel: 41-22-7911318

Fax: 41-22-7914730

E-mail:pals@...