Prescription drugs are now so pricey that they have become a tantalizing target for criminals. Both thefts of prescription drugs and counterfeit drugs are increasing in the U.S. where they used to be rare.
Controlling the quality of medications is also more of an issue. With 80 percent of the raw ingredients in our medicines coming from countries like China, India, Brazil or Mexico, the FDA is hard-pressed to keep tabs on the drug supply. Even in this country, manufacturers may fail to maintain good manufacturing practices to produce top quality drugs. How safe are your pills?
Guests: Katherine Eban is an award-winning investigative journalist and contributor to Fortune. She is author of Dangerous Doses: How Counterfeiters Are Contaminating America’s Drug Supply. The photo is of Ms. Eban. Her website is www.katherineeban.com
Clifford Nilsen, CSSBB, CLSSS, has more than 40 years of industrial experience, specializing in quality control, laboratory management, compliance and technical operations in the pharmaceutical, nutritional supplement and chemical manufacturing industries. His book is Generic Drugs: A Consumer’s Self-Defense Guide. His website is: www.nilsenconsulting.com.
Allan Coukell is a pharmacist and Director of Medical Programs at the Pew Health Group. He chaired the Pew Health Group roundtable on Ensuring the Safety of the U.S. Drug Supply.
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