Associated Press (02/15/12)
Although drug counterfeiting tends to take place in impoverished countries with poor regulatory environments, there is concern among some American authorities that more fake pharmaceuticals will turn up in the U.S. The counterfeiting of prescription drugs is becoming more commonplace for a number of reasons, including the fact that pharmaceutical supply chains are increasingly global in scope. A recent congressional report noted that more than 80 percent of the active ingredients that are used in prescription drugs in the U.S. are made in other nations, meaning that it is now easier to import counterfeit products into this country. In addition, criminals are increasingly being attracted to drug counterfeiting because it offers high rewards and low risk. One vial of Avastin, a cancer drug that was recently counterfeited and distributed to at least 19 doctors and clinics around the U.S., can sell for $2,400. Drug counterfeiters in the U.S. also face lighter sentences than criminals convicted of counterfeiting money. The sentence for drug counterfeiting is roughly three years in prison, compared with 15 years for counterfeiting currency.

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