Counterfeit Pharmaceuticals

The presence of counterfeits in the pharmaceutical product market is an increasing risk that places consumers in potential harm, or in some cases, even results in death. While the United States Food and Drug Administration has taken steps to mitigate the risk of counterfeit pharmaceuticals from entering the supply chain, consumers are in the dark regarding the growing dangers that they face. The intent of this book was to determine the overall level of understanding of the U.S. consumer regarding the risk of counterfeit pharmaceuticals to their long-term health and well-being. The findings determined that these respondents did not fully understand what defined a counterfeit pharmaceutical nor did they have a high level of understanding of the risk that exists within the United States. The risk of counterfeit pharmaceuticals in the United States may be relatively low compared to the rest of the world, but the risk does still exist. Counterfeit pharmaceuticals will continue to flourish within the United States without a formalized communication policy which will educate consumers regarding the potential risk to their health and long term well-being.