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FDA reports counterfeit Viagra being sold in two California pharmacies
Posted By: News-Medical in Pharmaceutical News
Published: Thursday, 1-Jul-2004
FDA is alerting
pharmacies and the public of a small number of confirmed reports
involving counterfeit Viagra (sildenafil citrate) sold in two California
pharmacies.
Both FDA and Pfizer, Inc. of Groton, CT, the manufacturer of the legitimate drug Viagra, are analyzing the counterfeit product to determine its true composition and whether it poses any health risks.
To date no injuries have been reported in connection with this problem and the counterfeit products have only been found in pharmacies in Glendale and Fresno, California.
It is important to note that the concern over these counterfeit drugs in no way applies to real Viagra tablets which are formulated and manufactured in strict compliance with FDA’s standards.
Pfizer and FDA are providing pharmacists
and the public with information on how to identify counterfeit Viagra
packaging and tablets. The counterfeit drugs bear the lot number
3023803 with an expiration date of 1 MAR 06 (this lot number and
date were used on legitimate Viagra product distributed between
July 1 and July 18, 2003) and resemble real Viagra tablets in terms
of their general size, shape, color and debossing (imprints). Yet
several significant deviations are evident between the counterfeit
and real drugs - these differences can be seen in comparative photos
included with Pfizer’s Dear Pharmacist letter, posted on the
company’s Website at http://www.pfizer.com/subsites/counterfeit_importation/mn_pharmacist_viagra.html.
These differences include a different debossing font, more pronounced
tablet edges, and the lighter blue film-coat.
Consumers who have Viagra at home and may have questions about its legitimacy can reference the above websites or contact the dispensing pharmacist. Pharmacists and consumers who have counterfeit Viagra should contact their local FDA office.
FDA’s Office of Criminal Investigations is actively investigating this case and the agency will aggressively prosecute those found responsible for any counterfeiting operation.
http://www.fda.gov
source :-http://www.news-medical.net | 
