Counterfeit and substandard antibiotics are finding their way into the global supply chain and creating resistance to treatments, says the World Health Organization (WHO). In fact, antibiotics now rank among the most counterfeited medicines in the all regions of the world, not just in developing countries.

According to Michael Deats, head of the WHO’s drug safety and vigilance team,“With the demand so high for antibiotics, it’s not unusual to see those who falsify these products concentrate on them.” This is particularly alarming because counterfeit antibiotics can create resistance so the real drug won’t be able to effectively treat the patient.

A new surveillance and reporting program in 80 countries led by the World Health Organization has determined that links can be made across borders to identify high-risk sources, and Southeast Asia and India are among them. However, according to WHO, fake antibiotics are just as likely to reach patients in the U.S. and Europe as in poor countries through illegal online pharmacies.

In addition to the WHO’s reporting program, the threat of counterfeit antibiotics is also spurring a strong response from drug makers, including Pfizer. The creator of the antibiotic Zythromax (or Z-Pak), Pfizer has been focusing its anti-counterfeiting efforts on online pharmacies, in collaboration with CSIP member, Microsoft. Pfizer’s effort with Microsoft seeks to identify affiliated networks of counterfeiters by tracking down computer servers and banks tied to their websites. So far, the collaborative effort has taken down thousands of pharmacies selling counterfeit antibiotics, but the problem is still widespread (Read more about Microsoft’s efforts to fight counterfeit drugs online.)

The prevalence of fake antibiotics being sold online and the danger they can cause to the health of consumers is alarming. We urge you to find out which pharmacies are safe before you buy, using our partner LegitScript’s Pharmacy Verification Tool. Also, if you have concerns about a website or drug seller, please report the information to the FDA for further investigation using our online portal.

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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.