The illegal distribution and sale of counterfeit drugs through the online black market continues to pose a significant and growing threat to public health and safety. To address this problem, agencies including the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ), and the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) are taking actions to identify and strengthen efforts to combat the threat.

FDA: According to FDA Deputy Commissioner for Global Regulatory Operations and Policy, Howard Sklamberg, J.D., the global anonymity of the counterfeit drug black market can provide a safe haven for illicit prescription drug sales. In response, the FDA is conducting proactive educational outreach to consumers, the medical community, and other stakeholders to ensure they have an understanding of how to purchase drugs both legally and safely. A recent Partnership for Safe Medicines article also indicated that the FDA sent warning letters to close to 800 medical practices throughout the United States concerning their business exchanges with black market medication wholesalers.

DOJ: The Department of Justice (DOJ) recently announced multiple charges against two high-profile black market counterfeit drug sellers. According to their blog, DOJ is “keeping patients safe, protecting legitimate businesses, and keep products like rat poison and highway paint where they belong – far away from consumers medicine cabinets.”

ICE: As part of the national effort to combat the growing problem of black market counterfeit drugs and other counterfeit goods, the ICE Homeland Security Investigations team (within the IPR Center) uses the expertise of its 21-member agencies to share information, develop initiatives, coordinate enforcement actions and conduct investigations related to protect the public’s health and safety and the U.S. economy from black market drug sellers.

With continued cooperation, CSIP, its members and partners, and U.S. government agencies are fighting the production and sale of dangerous fake medicines sold through the online black markets. Since black market drug sellers continue to be an issue, stakeholders will maintain their efforts to shutter these sites, educate people, and help ensure that all consumers receive safe and effective medicines

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The Center for Safe Internet Pharmacies (CSIP) and our 13 member companies have the shared goal of helping address the growing problem of consumer access to illegitimate pharmaceutical products on the Internet. Continue to read this blog for updates on CSIP’s education, enforcement and information-sharing efforts.