A bipartisan report entitled Reducing the U.S. Demand for Illegal Drugs (June 2012) outlines strategies for Congress and the Obama Administration to reduce the massive U.S. demand for illegal drugs.

Drug abuse in the United States poses a major public health challenge while also costing our country $193 billion a year in preventable health care, law enforcement and addiction expenses. In 2010, about 22.6 million Americans aged 12 and older were current illegal drug users. This is the largest proportion in the past decade of people aged 12 and older identified as current illegal drug users.

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With 1-in-4 patients in the United States with type 1 diabetes reporting difficulties affording insulin, there is concern that some of these patients might look for cost savings on the internet, unaware that 96% of internet pharmacies are illegitimate. Read More

The COVID-19 pandemic has increased online purchases and heightened interest in existing treatments. Dexamethasone, hydroxychloroquine, and lopinavir-ritonavir have been touted as potential COVID-19 treatments. This 2022 study assessed the availability of 3 potential COVID-19 treatments online and evaluated the safety and marketing characteristics of websites selling these products during the pandemic. Read More

CSIP and the Partnership for Safe Medicines collaborated to provide this resource which offers clarity about the dangers of illicit online pharmacies and fake medicines. It also includes a helpful FAQ for consumers that can help protect them from these rogue online actors.

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Many people are now taking to the internet to purchase medications in an attempt to get them at lower prices than they could at the local pharmacy. If you are without health insurance, or unable to afford steep copays for certain medications in this tough economy, it makes sense to shop around to find the best price for prescriptions your family needs.

Yet … mislabeled and fake medicines pose a worldwide threat and that, “.. in some countries, counterfeit prescription drugs comprise as much as 70 percent of the drug supply and have been responsible for thousands of deaths.” Everything from bogus versions of Tamiflu and cholesterol-lowering drug Lipitor to anti-anxiety medication Ativan and even diabetes test strips have been sold online.

Read more in this blog post from Katherine Stone.

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STOPfakes.gov was launched to serve as a one-stop shop for U.S. Government tools and resources on intellectual property rights (IPR). The federal agencies behind STOPfakes.gov have developed a number of resources to educate and assist businesses, particularly small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), as well as consumers, government officials, and the general public.

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Summer travel can be a fun and relaxing time – until a medication emergency occurs. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) provides guidance for travelers who need to obtain medication when away from home – especially when traveling internationally. It is important to purchase medicines only from licensed pharmacies, check that the medication is in the original packaging, and get a receipt. Travelers should also be aware of the latest safety precautions for minimizing exposure to infectious diseases – including Zika.

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Research+Data Insights completed a survey of 808 Online Shoppers nationwide on behalf of CSIP. The survey was fielded online from September 10-13, 2015. All respondents were drawn from an online research panel and screened to ensure that they have purchased goods or services online in the past 12 months. Read More

Prepared by LegitScript.com for the Center for Safe Internet Pharmacies

This report was commissioned by the Center for Safe Internet Pharmacies (CSIP) in order to give CSIP members and other stakeholders an understanding of the current trends and challenges in the Internet pharmacy market. This report also illustrates the impact of zero-tolerance policies on illegal activity, and how companies, like CSIP’s members, are protecting consumer health and safety through their work to block unsafe sites, collaborate with law enforcement, and educate consumers. Read More

The National Intellectual Property Rights Coordination Center (IPR Center) stands at the forefront of the U.S. government’s response to global intellectual property (IP) theft. As a task force, the IPR Center uses the expertise of its member agencies to share information, develop initiatives, coordinate enforcement actions, and conduct investigations related to IP theft. Through this strategic interagency partnership, the IPR Center protects the public’s health and safety, the U.S. economy and the war fighters.

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