It’s no secret that Viagra is one of the most popular drugs globally. But did you know that it’s also one of the most counterfeited drugs? That’s right: according to some estimates, as much as 70% of all Viagra is fake. And the damage caused by these fakes can be truly horrific.
Let’s put aside the fact that it’s incredibly difficult to verify the authenticity of any drug, for a minute. Even if you did manage to check the drug’s authenticity after purchasing it, you’d still be stuck with a dead penis. That’s because while Viagra is effective in treating erectile dysfunction, it can also cause terrible side effects, including heart attacks and strokes. One of the most recent cases involving a fake Viagra is from Taiwan, where an 82-year-old man suffered a heart attack after taking a supposed generic version. Fortunately, he recovered and is doing well.
Counterfeiters Are Taking Advantage Of A Brand’s Popularity To Seize Opportunity
As noted, 70% of all Viagra is believed to be fake. For decades, this has been because traditional methods of drug authentication, such as studying the chemical makeup of a drug or analyzing its fingerprints, have been inadequate to detecting fake drugs. This has made it easy for counterfeiters to copy a drug’s appearance exactly, including its packaging and labeling. Since it’s relatively easy to manufacture a facsimile of a popular drug, pharmaceutical companies that produce legitimate copies of Viagra are struggling to keep up with the demand.
This is where the internet plays a massive role. While traditional methods of drug authentication require a lot of manpower and are thus very time-consuming, online drug checking has made it much easier for pharmacists to determine the authenticity of any medication they’re sent. In addition, since the 1920s, when pharmaceutical companies began to regularly list ingredients on the bottle, pharmacists have had the tools to verify the authenticity of any drug before they even dispense it. This is how pharmaceutical companies were able to catch dozens of different imposters claiming to sell their version of Viagra. Even when they did succeed in selling a small number of vials, they would usually end up being caught because their ‘product’ wouldn’t be authenticated due to its low alcohol content.
Viagra’s Popularity Brings It Potential To Be Imitated By Cheaters And Imposters
Apart from being unsafe and frequently counterfeited, Viagra has another major drawback: it’s incredibly easy for cheaters and imposters to emulate it. As research published in the Journal of the American Medical Association notes, “[i]mposters can learn to emulate original drugs … and can often do so quite accurately.” This is, in part, because it’s so easy for anyone with a computer to copy and paste the active ingredient in a drug and synthesize it. To give you some idea of how much effort it takes to synthesize a drug, it takes about as much time to synthesize aspirin. As a result, in some cases, it’s simply not possible to tell the difference between a fake and a real version of a drug.
The Danger Of Hesitating To Report A Fake Drug
Now, before we wrap up, let’s discuss a very dangerous trend that you need to avoid at all costs: the hesitation to report a fake drug. Despite what you might think, it is actually a very serious matter to be reluctant to report a fake drug that you’re suspicious of, or even aware of. Here’s why:
If you’re not sure whether or not a drug is fake, or you’ve somehow become convinced that it’s fake even though it’s not, there’s absolutely no reason to keep it a secret. As we’ve established, fakes are frequently manufactured and emulated by people who want to take advantage of a drug’s popularity. If you don’t report the fake drug, it will continue to pose a risk to consumers. In the event of an outbreak, dangerous drug-resistant organisms could develop and be spread throughout the community. This is why you must always err on the side of caution and report any suspected fake drugs.
So, what are you waiting for? Go ahead and report that suspicious drug to your local drugstore or pharmacy. But as for whether or not it’s actually fake, only you know for sure.