Consumers have been urged to use pharma labels on medicines as a first line of defence against counterfeiting.
Suzette Lazo from the US Food and Drug Administration said many of the most popular drugs in the world are being copied by fraudsters and then sold on to unwitting consumers.
She warned that at best, the fake vitamins, antibiotics and other drugs are likely to be placebos, while at worst, they could be something else that poses a threat to health.
Consumers were advised to check pharmaceutical labels and packaging, as most of the fake drugs will only have "poor replicas" of the original.
Fake medicines may also be discoloured and crumbly if in tablet form, Ms Lazo added.
She went on to recommend that drugs should only be bought or prescribed from reputable locations such as pharmacies and GPs.
Special labels including scratch-off panels and randomised printed codes could help in the fight against counterfeiting. This was recently tried with success in India, where the problem is particularly rife.
Denny Bros Ltd, 24 November 2011
