U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has started an operation ‘Pangea’, which co-led by Interpol. According to FDA, the criminals profit from consumers purchasing unapproved prescription drugs off the internet. So, such activity must be cut-off, and criminals linked to this illegal trade are being chased down by an ongoing global collaborative effort.
FDA’s operation Pangea on the annual basis aimed to combat the online-sale and the most important aspect is unveiling both the makers and distributors of illegal prescription drug products. Cutting the outlawed medicinal products from the supply chain is another goal of Pangea’s operation. As director of the FDA’s Office of Criminal Investigations noted:
“Preventing illegal internet sales of dangerous unapproved drugs is critical to protecting consumers’ health.”
Nowadays, the internet became an extremely comfortable place for different illegal business, one of it is counterfeit medicinal goods selling. According to the statistics of the World Health Organization (WHO), up to 1% of medicines available in the developed world are likely to be counterfeit. On a global scale, this figure reaches 10%, just unbelievable profit! The most counterfeited internet-markets registered in Asia, Africa, and Latin America. Fake goods can form up to 30% of these markets.
In its statement regarding this year Pangea, Karavetsos said: “Operation Pangea IX demonstrates the FDA’s continuing commitment to stand united with our international partners to protect consumers in the United States and throughout the world from criminals who put profit above the health and safety of consumers.”
