Ep. 195 - Counterfeit Medications Being Sold Online Becomes a Global Threat

It is estimated that there are currently between 35,000-50,000 active online drug sellers today. Many of these companies are even selling medication without requiring an evaluation from a physician. The World Health Organization has cited that 50% of all online prescription medication is actually counterfeit and is even sold by websites that hide their physical address. Counterfeiting pharmaceutical drugs is a public safety threat that affects us on a global scale and is estimated to be worth roughly $75 billion. Patients that have purchased unsafe medicine from any of these illegitimate sources have been harmed, and in some cases killed.

For this week’s podcast, Greg spoke with Marjorie Clifton, Executive Director of the Center for Safe Internet Pharmacies. Founded in 2011, this diverse group of internet service providers and technology companies have taken on the global fight against selling illegitimate medication over the internet. Hear how this crisis has even spread to the “dark web” and is threatening the safety of online pharmaceutical sales.