Beyond the significant negative impact counterfeits can have on the health and lives of patients who receive them, counterfeiting has significant social and economic ramifications.
Counterfeit medical products may not meet the strict quality standards imposed by authorities and legitimate manufacturers. So, the counterfeits may be either ineffective or contain harmful ingredients or both, placing consumers at serious risk. For counterfeit diagnostics and medical devices, possible consequences include inaccurate test results or compromised sterility.
In addition counterfeiting reduces the effectiveness of healthcare systems, health professionals, legitimate medicines and burdens governments with enforcement and other unnecessary medical costs.
In the end, everybody loses – patients, governments and the healthcare industry.