Counterfeit pharmaceuticals are disturbingly prevalent. A November 2003 article in Chemical & Engineering News magazine noted that “counterfeit Procrit, an antianemia drug, placed at-risk patients severely ill with cancer and AIDS, and counterfeit Epogen caused grave medical complications for organ transplant recipients and patients with end-stage kidney disease.” In 2006, the FDA notified consumers about counterfeit blood glucose test trips being sold in the United States. According to Counterfeit Drugs and National Security, global counterfeit drug sales in 2010 totaled more than $70 billion, a 90% increase since 2005.
