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Counterfeiting is a global phenomenon contributing to illness, death, toxicity and drug resistance. Up until now, the authorities are not able to trace how drugs are being smuggled between countries. With the strict regulation in every entry way either by the airport or sea ports and land boundaries, it is highly unlikely that these fraudsters can pass security. Yet, despite it, there is still an abundant trade between countries.
Experts are convinced that counterfeiting has been manufactured and widespread in developing countries. Since it is known that in these regions the security is lacking, there are enough basis for review to reach this conclusion.
According to an international study conducted by The Peterson Group, a non-profit organization campaigning against the proliferation of substandard, fraud and illegal drugs, counterfeiting occurs throughout the world, but it is most common in countries where there are few or no rules about making drugs. An estimated 10%–30% of medicines sold in developing countries are counterfeit. In the industrialized world (countries such as the United States, Australia, Japan, Canada, New Zealand, and those in the European Union), estimates suggest that less than 1% of medicines sold are counterfeit.
True enough, the markets in the streets of Jakarta, which also consist of black and gray markets, are flourishing with locally manufactured and smuggled counterfeit medicines ranging from Tamiflu, Viagra and anti-malarial drugs. Not only does this happen in Indonesia. Countries such as Thailand, Cambodia and Malaysia also have their own records and statistics.
Travelers and expats are some of the victims of counterfeit medicines. Long term travelers and expatriates in many areas are at risk of diseases and need to follow protective measures. For all you know, you are seated in a plane with a smuggler or you might be buying some fraud meds in a local market. Yet most of the times, they do not recognize the right prescription and legitimate medicine that should be used nor are they aware of the basic regulation after taking some. This is why it is important to know the basics when it comes to identifying illicit drugs.
The only way to really know if a drug is counterfeit is through chemical analysis done in a laboratory. However, there are some signs that you can look for that may indicate a counterfeit drug, just as follows:
• Have a strange smell, taste, or color
• Break apart very easily
• Be in poor‐quality packaging or packages with miss pelled labels
• Cost very little, especially compared with the normal price of that particular drug
