Khaberni - The family health care institute's newsletter (from the institutes of the King Hussein Foundation), today, Monday, places in the reader's hands important information about how to recognize counterfeit medicines, which are prevalent at certain rates in low and middle-income countries.
The institute's newsletter presents the steps and techniques used to detect counterfeit medicines, and the procedures that should be followed if there is suspicion of a counterfeit drug, in addition to a set of necessary preventive steps.
An article by Pfizer pharmaceutical company titled "Preventing Counterfeit Medicines: How to Protect Yourself?" states: Every day when you take your prescribed medication, you trust that it is authentic. However, counterfeit medicines are more common globally than some might think; studies indicate that between 10-40% of the drugs sold in low and middle-income countries are counterfeit, while this percentage drops to less than 1% in countries such as the United States.
"Amy Callanan," a global security expert at Pfizer, confirms that laboratory tests are the only way to ensure with 100% certainty whether drugs are safe or counterfeit, but there are “signs” that both professionals and consumers can notice:
1 - Recognizing the signs of counterfeiting (visual inspection)
Consumers and professionals can detect suspicious medicines through:
- Packaging and container: Notice any fading in colors, unclear verbiage, absence of embossed code numbers on the packages, or errors in the product name or ingredients on the packaging.
- Drug characteristics: Noticeable changes in color, taste, or texture, or the presence of cracks and peeling in the layer of tablets.
2 - Using modern tracking technologies
- Track and Trace system: Scanning the two-dimensional barcode (QR Code) is an effective way to immediately verify the authenticity of the product; the data resulting from the scan differs in counterfeit products from those recorded on the package, and it is known that scanning two-dimensional barcodes (QR Code) is an advanced imaging technology that uses smartphone cameras or scanners to read matrix squares (white and black) vertically and horizontally and stores dense data (addresses, texts, files) and features the ability to be read from any direction and scanned quickly.
- International coding (GS1): The International coding system (GS1) for medications is a global standardized system used to identify and track pharmaceutical products throughout the supply chain. This system primarily relies on two-dimensional barcodes (GS1 DataMatrix) and serialization to ensure patient safety and combat counterfeit drugs. Jordan has started implementing this system where the Food and Drug Corporation (JFDA) announced the mandatory application of the serialization system and two-dimensional barcode on drug packages starting from January 2026 to enhance protection in supply chains and prevent the entry of smuggled drugs.
3 - Accredited source and digital warnings
- Purchasing medication: The basic rule is to obtain medicines only from licensed pharmacies or hospitals and avoid purchases over the internet or social media offering attractive discounts; as 90% of these drugs might be counterfeit.
- Avoid smuggled drugs: Drugs not regulated by the Ministry of Health lose their quality due to poor storage and transport.
4 - Actions when in doubt
In case of suspicion of a counterfeit drug, the following should be done:
- Stop taking the medication immediately
- Contact specialists and provide immediate notification: Immediately call the concerned doctor or pharmacist or the Food and Drug Corporation to track that drug and ensure its validity or withdraw it from the market to ensure other patients are not at risk.
** Always choose a reliable pharmacy
- Direct purchase: It is always advised to buy from well-known pharmacies and stay away from open markets or non-specialized stores.
- Online purchasing: Verify the credibility of websites, look for the domain(pharmacy.) that is only given to websites compliant with laws, or use verification platforms like "Buy Safely"… noting that the domain (pharmacy.) is a special extension for internet sites like (com.) or (org.) specifically dedicated to licensed and trustworthy online pharmacies. This domain ensures the purchase of safe, authentic medications that comply with health laws, managed by the National Association of Boards of Pharmacy (NABP) to prevent counterfeit drugs.
- Beware of similar-looking websites: Note that websites selling counterfeit drugs often follow very similar "templates" and designs in appearance and verbiage.
