Counterfeit Acomplia Already Making the Rounds
The anti-obesity drug rimonabant hasn’t even been approved for sale yet in the European Union, yet counterfeit versions of the drug are already being sold illegally over the internet, using the drug’s proposed brand name Accomplia. The EU Commission has warned bluntly: “Patients who buy unlicensed and counterfeit or illicit copies of rimonabant may be putting their health at risk”.
According to an article carried by Reuters, fakes of the drug rimonabant, an experimental drug from Sanofi-Aventis which is still being tested by the European Medicines Evaluation Agency, are being sold on several websites under the proposed brand name of Acomplia.
(Note: our previous article “Pleasure-Blocker Accomplia Shows Promise as Weight-Loss Drug” misspelled the drug’s name; according to the Sanofi-Aventis website, rimonabant’s proposed brand name is Acomplia, with one ‘c’, not Accomplia, with two.)
According to the Reuters article, the US drug firm Pfizer, which has campaigned strongly for enforcement of patent protection for its leading medications (including its well-known erectile dysfunction drugs), took the opportunity to weigh in on the issue:
“Pfizer is very concerned about the surge in counterfeit medicines, putting at risk the lives and wellbeing of patients in Europe and elsewhere,” said Julian Mount, senior director of European trade at Pfizer.
“However, illegal Internet trade is just one part of the story. Counterfeits have also made it into the legitimate medicines supply chain in Europe,” Mount said.
Not to sound too cynical, but in my personal view there is a world of difference between illegally selling medication that has not even been medically approved yet — as is the case for rimonabant / Acomplia — and simply manufacturing and selling medications which are identical to those supplied at a premium profit margin by pharmaceutical companies exploiting patent law. IMHO, concern over counterfeit Acomplia seems very legitimate; Pfizer’s having taken the opportunity to add its voice to that of the EU Commission, however, strikes me as little more than opportunism.
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This article was last reviewed by on Thursday, 30th March 2006. You can leave a response below.
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19th August 2006
Does anyone know when Acomplia will be approved and for sale in the U.S.?
4th January 2007
im taking acomplia for the past 3 weeks and have lost 3 kilos in weight,and im feeling great,also my blood pressure is much better than it has been in ages.
tony daley
28th March 2007
does anyone know when acomplia will be for sale in the us, is it accomplia or acomplia?
12th February 2008
I’m also looking for Acomplia online (no prescription)and get it in 3 to 5 business days.