Counterfeit medicines and diagnostic products pose a significant risk to the safety of patients.

Counterfeit products can be found in any country and often look identical to authentic versions, making them difficult to detect, particularly for patients. Patients believe they are taking the right treatment, but they are actually at risk. The counterfeits may contain too much or too little of the active ingredients, or none at all, preventing patients from receiving the proper treatment. Even worse, counterfeits are made with toxic substances or ineffective preparations that can cause serious illness or even death.

Counterfeiting is an illegal activity that has serious consequences for public health and patient safety. That’s why we’re fully committed to working with health authorities and law enforcement agencies worldwide to aid their investigations into the source of counterfeits and prevent their distribution.

Roche employs several anti-counterfeit strategies to combat this global threat to public health and help ensure the integrity of our products. We are committed to giving healthcare professionals and patients the information they need to safely access our products. It is vital that we all take steps to recognize and avoid counterfeits.

of medicines purchased over the Internet, have been found to be counterfeit. (Source: WHO Factsheet No 275)