DODGY drugs

Momma's little helper is not what it used to be. The medicine counterfeiters make plenty of money selling dodgy Viagra and slimming tablets for the western market. Fake medicine for more serious problems are more likely to be shipped to developing countries where controls are less stringent and officials more pliable. This week in the UK five men went on trial over a plan to sell counterfeit drugs in the UK. The drugs involved are used to treat cancer, heart disease and schizophrenia. The Chinese supplier Lu Xu as caught by US undercover agents investigating a completely separate scam when the five businessman came up on the radar. The drugs such as Zyprexa cost €94 a packet making it a valuable scam. Read about the court case here. This week documents released by Wikileaks highlighted how corruption and counterfeiting go hand in hand. US diplomats are not apparently happy the way the Chinese turn a blind eye to counterfeit goods flooding the Kenyan market. Read here. Of course, one way to make it less profitable for the counterfeiters would be subsidise pharmaceuticals and push the use of generic brands. Read previous posts on counterfeit drugs.