Author: Global Productivity

How to Spot Fake Online Pharmacies

The popularity of online pharmacies is a testament to the ease, convenience, and sense of privacy that e-commerce offers consumers. Unfortunately, such popularity also opens opportunity for malicious people to make money by selling fake and dangerous medicine to customers seeking discrete ways to purchase their goods. It’s not surprising that medicine that customers would otherwise be embarrassed to purchase, such as erectile dysfunction drugs, are one of the more commonly counterfeited products.

Why is buying from a fake online pharmacy bad?

  • Many times, the drugs online are cheaper, which means our wallet doesn’t take too much of a hit. But fake online pharmacies put people in danger because they’re not selling you the genuine medicine you think you are getting. Instead, they sell fake and substandard versions of the approved drugs.
  • When you depend on a drug to do what is intended, taking something that does not have the right ingredients can put your health at risk. If you’re not yet convinced that fake drugs are harmful, check out this interactive guide to the “Hidden Poisons in Counterfeit Medications” (brought to you by the Partnership for Safe Medicines (PSM)).
  • You are putting your personal and financial safety at risk by providing credit card and other personal information and can download damaging files (like spyware) onto your computer.

 

So how do you know when you have stumbled upon a fake pharmacy?

Here’s a list from great resources such as;

Keep in mind that some of these red flags (but not all!) may be different depending on what country you are in and the regulations surrounding. Check with your appropriate regulatory body for more details.

Red flags:

  • You can buy prescription medicine without the prescription
  • It is not licensed by the board of pharmacy or other regulatory body. Check your country’s regulatory body website for more information on any licensing boards for pharmacies. The U.S., for example, certifies online pharmacies through VIPPS accreditation
  • The prices of the drugs seem “too good to be true”
  • They are sending you spam or unsolicited email, especially for cheap or hard-to-get pills. The subject title of the email has nothing to do with the products offered and/or there are incorrectly spelt words, random spaces and symbols in between words (to bypass spam filters)
  • There is no sign of a physical address or the address does not exist
  • There is no sign of a phone number or the number is non-working or does not connect you to a customer service representative. You should be able to speak to a pharmacist.
  • The pharmacy claims to ship worldwide: drugs need to go through an approval process to be able to be distributed in different countries
  • Any indication that the products require extra shipping time or have any fee relating to getting processed through customs
  • All U.S. pharmacies ship via DHL, FedEx, or UPS only
  • Getting “extra” medicine when you purchase X amount

What do you do when you encounter a fake pharmacy?

  • First – check with your country’s regulatory body for any resource that lists all legitimate pharmacies to make sure that your suspicions are correct. The U.S. National Association of Boards of Pharmacy certifies legitimate online pharmacies through their VIPPS accreditation program.
  • If you suspect that the pharmacy is fake, report it. Your country’s regulatory body should have a way to report suspicious pharmacies. Not sure who that is? The World Health Organization has listed the websites of medicines regulatory authorities around the world.
  • Lastly, the PSM is a great source for more information on fake and substandard drugs. We highly recommend “The 5 Secrets Canadian Web Pharmacies Don’t Want You To Know.” For those interested in learning more about counterfeit medicine and joining the conversation to combat this global epidemic, the PSM is holding their annual interchange conference on October 24 in D.C. The annual event brings together policymakers, pharmaceutical manufacturers, patient advocates, law enforcement, healthcare professionals, and anti-counterfeiting companies to discuss the problem and solutions to the global scourge of pharmaceutical counterfeiting.

What are some other good tips that you have for those seeking to purchase medicine online?

Sproxil Awarded Grant from Acumen & Dow Chemical’s Technical Assistance Initiative

Sproxil®, a leading provider of world-class brand protection for emerging markets, has been awarded technical assistance grant funding from the Technical Assistance Initiative (TAI), a partnership between Acumen and Dow Chemical.  The TAI explores opportunities for collaboration between social enterprises and global corporations aimed at expanding access to critical goods and services for low-income communities in East and West Africa.
Sproxil’s anti-counterfeiting solution, Mobile Product Authentication™ (MPA™) technology safeguards consumers in emerging markets from counterfeit goods, such as pharmaceuticals, personal care, electrical cabling, automotive aftermarket parts and home goods.  Sproxil will receive funding as it develops and pilots an anti-counterfeiting prototype for adjacent industries and explores partnerships for market expansion.

Launched May 14 – 16 at a summit in Nairobi, Kenya, the TA Initiative invited 10 of Acumen’s portfolio companies from East and West Africa with the aim of expanding access to critical goods and services for underserved communities in the region. The participating social enterprises were invited to submit applications for grant funding as well as in-kind support from Dow’s Global Sustainability Corps; Sproxil was one of four to receive funding.  The Technical Assistance Initiative was launched as a joint Commitment to Action by Acumen and Dow Chemical at the Clinton Global Initiative in 2012.

For more information on the program and the full list of Technical Assistance recipients, visit Acumen’s Blog.

 

Sproxil Awarded Grant from Acumen & Dow Chemical’s Technical Assistance Initiative

Sproxil®, a leading provider of world-class brand protection for emerging markets, has been awarded technical assistance grant funding from the Technical Assistance Initiative (TAI), a partnership between Acumen and Dow Chemical.  The TAI explores opportunities for collaboration between social enterprises and global corporations aimed at expanding access to critical goods and services for low-income communities in East and West Africa.
Sproxil’s anti-counterfeiting solution, Mobile Product Authentication™ (MPA™) technology safeguards consumers in emerging markets from counterfeit goods, such as pharmaceuticals, personal care, electrical cabling, automotive aftermarket parts and home goods.  Sproxil will receive funding as it develops and pilots an anti-counterfeiting prototype for adjacent industries and explores partnerships for market expansion.

Launched May 14 – 16 at a summit in Nairobi, Kenya, the TA Initiative invited 10 of Acumen’s portfolio companies from East and West Africa with the aim of expanding access to critical goods and services for underserved communities in the region. The participating social enterprises were invited to submit applications for grant funding as well as in-kind support from Dow’s Global Sustainability Corps; Sproxil was one of four to receive funding.  The Technical Assistance Initiative was launched as a joint Commitment to Action by Acumen and Dow Chemical at the Clinton Global Initiative in 2012.

For more information on the program and the full list of Technical Assistance recipients, visit Acumen’s Blog.

 

Sproxil Nigeria Participates in ACC’s Public Service Campaign Against Fake Anti-Malarials

Some members of Sproxil’s Nigeria team had the pleasure of attending AntiCounterfeiting Collaboration (ACC)’s launch of their Public Service Campaign Against Counterfeit Anti-malarials.
The U.S. Consulate General, Lagos in conjunction with the Anti-Counterfeiting Collaboration (ACC) on July 19 launched a Public Service Announcements (PSAs) and poster campaign against Counterfeit Anti-malarial Medication. Representatives from the federal government’s enforcement agencies, state ministries, and the broader private sector Intellectual Property (IP) community were in attendance.

Sproxil Nigeria Participates in ACC’s Public Service Campaign Against Fake Anti-Malarials

Some members of Sproxil’s Nigeria team had the pleasure of attending AntiCounterfeiting Collaboration (ACC)’s launch of their Public Service Campaign Against Counterfeit Anti-malarials.
The U.S. Consulate General, Lagos in conjunction with the Anti-Counterfeiting Collaboration (ACC) on July 19 launched a Public Service Announcements (PSAs) and poster campaign against Counterfeit Anti-malarial Medication. Representatives from the federal government’s enforcement agencies, state ministries, and the broader private sector Intellectual Property (IP) community were in attendance.

Sproxil’s Mobile Product Authentication™ Solution Surpasses 5 Million Usage Mark in Battle Against Counterfeit Products

Sproxil® Mobile Product Authentication™ Solution Surpasses 5 Million Usage Mark in Battle Against Counterfeit Products 

Usage Rates Accelerate as Consumers and Brand Owners Partner to Combat Product Counterfeiting

Cambridge, MA (August 13, 2013) — Sproxil®, a leading provider of world-class brand protection for emerging markets, announces that its’ Mobile Product Authentication™ (MPA™) solution has processed more than five million verifications to help consumers ensure that the products they are purchasing are genuine.  Top10 global pharmaceutical companies, as well as local distributors and manufacturers in emerging markets across Africa and India have used Sproxil’s MPA solution to protect consumers from taking potentially harmful counterfeit and substandard drugs since the company launched in 2009.  Compatible with any tangible good, the MPA Solution is also being used with an array of products including in automotive aftermarket parts, health & beauty products, food and beverage, bedding, and textiles & clothing.

“The 5 million mark is an incredible milestone for us and our partners.  We’re very proud that we’ve been able to protect so many consumers from the threat of counterfeit products.  Even more impressive is how quickly usage is accelerating.  It took almost two years to reach the one million milestone, then seven months to double to two million verifications.  In April we hit 4 million, and just four months later, we’ve surpassed 5 million.” states Jaime Stern, Sproxil’s Director of Sales.  “In these emerging markets, consumers have high levels of access to mobile phones, and they are familiar with ‘scratch & text’ practices.  This has allowed for such rapid adoption of the MPA solution.  And with no cost to the consumer, we are confident adoption rates will continue to increase as we expand service to new markets.”

Before purchasing a product, consumers scratch a label that reveals a one-time use code. Next, the consumer texts the code to a secure number provided on the product package. As part of Sproxil’s MPA technology, the text message is processed to determine product genuineness. Within seconds, Sproxil notifies the end user, via text, of the result. Alternatively, consumers can call Sproxil’s consumer support desk to get results in their local language.

Sproxil’s Mobile Product Authentication™ Solution Surpasses 5 Million Usage Mark in Battle Against Counterfeit Products

Sproxil® Mobile Product Authentication™ Solution Surpasses 5 Million Usage Mark in Battle Against Counterfeit Products 

Usage Rates Accelerate as Consumers and Brand Owners Partner to Combat Product Counterfeiting

Cambridge, MA (August 13, 2013) — Sproxil®, a leading provider of world-class brand protection for emerging markets, announces that its’ Mobile Product Authentication™ (MPA™) solution has processed more than five million verifications to help consumers ensure that the products they are purchasing are genuine.  Top10 global pharmaceutical companies, as well as local distributors and manufacturers in emerging markets across Africa and India have used Sproxil’s MPA solution to protect consumers from taking potentially harmful counterfeit and substandard drugs since the company launched in 2009.  Compatible with any tangible good, the MPA Solution is also being used with an array of products including in automotive aftermarket parts, health & beauty products, food and beverage, bedding, and textiles & clothing.

“The 5 million mark is an incredible milestone for us and our partners.  We’re very proud that we’ve been able to protect so many consumers from the threat of counterfeit products.  Even more impressive is how quickly usage is accelerating.  It took almost two years to reach the one million milestone, then seven months to double to two million verifications.  In April we hit 4 million, and just four months later, we’ve surpassed 5 million.” states Jaime Stern, Sproxil’s Director of Sales.  “In these emerging markets, consumers have high levels of access to mobile phones, and they are familiar with ‘scratch & text’ practices.  This has allowed for such rapid adoption of the MPA solution.  And with no cost to the consumer, we are confident adoption rates will continue to increase as we expand service to new markets.”

Before purchasing a product, consumers scratch a label that reveals a one-time use code. Next, the consumer texts the code to a secure number provided on the product package. As part of Sproxil’s MPA technology, the text message is processed to determine product genuineness. Within seconds, Sproxil notifies the end user, via text, of the result. Alternatively, consumers can call Sproxil’s consumer support desk to get results in their local language.

White House Highlights Dr. Ashifi Gogo as an Immigrant Innovator “Champion of Change”

THE WHITE HOUSE

Office of Communications

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

May 29, 2013

White House Highlights Dr. Ashifi Gogo as an Immigrant Innovator “Champion of Change”

Ashifi, Champion of Change

WASHINGTON, DC – On Wednesday, May 29th, the White House will honor Dr. Ashifi Gogo as one of eleven people who are Immigrant Innovator “Champions of Change.” This Champions event will highlight immigrant innovators and entrepreneurs – the best and brightest from around the world who are helping create American jobs, grow our economy, and make our nation more competitive.

“Immigrants have long made America more prosperous and innovative, and the Champions we are celebrating today represent the very best in leadership, entrepreneurship, and public service,” said US Chief Technology Officer Todd Park.  “We are proud to recognize these leaders who work every day to grow our economy, advance science and technology, and support their home communities.”

The Champions of Change program was created as an opportunity for the White House to feature groups of Americans – individuals, businesses and organizations – who are doing extraordinary things to empower and inspire members of their communities.

To learn more about the White House Champions of Change program and nominate a Champion, visit http://www.whitehouse.gov/champions/immigrant-innovators

UPDATE: Ashifi Gogo wrote a great post on the Champions of Change Blog that we are excited to share with others: http://www.whitehouse.gov/blog/2013/06/04/empowering-people-worldwide-fight-counterfeit-drugs.

Missed the event? Watch here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2V0HXyha6Hs

Dr. Ashifi Gogo

Cambridge, MA

Dr. Ashifi Gogo is the CEO of Sproxil, a social enterprise that empowers consumers in emerging markets with mobile technology to combat the $600 billion counterfeit goods industry. Under his leadership, Sproxil developed its award-winning Mobile Product Authentication™ (MPATM) technology that has been used on over 100 million products by more than 2 million consumers to verify the authenticity of their medication. Former U.S. President Bill Clinton described Sproxil as “a genuinely remarkable achievement… [it’s] empowering…putting people in charge of their own healthcare.” Sproxil’s MPA solution is now used on multiple continents and in many industries including pharmaceutical products, automotive, garment, and fast-moving consumer goods.

White House Highlights Dr. Ashifi Gogo as an Immigrant Innovator “Champion of Change”

THE WHITE HOUSE

Office of Communications

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

May 29, 2013

 

White House Highlights Dr. Ashifi Gogo as an Immigrant Innovator “Champion of Change”

Ashifi, Champion of Change

WASHINGTON, DC – On Wednesday, May 29th, the White House will honor Dr. Ashifi Gogo as one of eleven people who are Immigrant Innovator “Champions of Change.” This Champions event will highlight immigrant innovators and entrepreneurs – the best and brightest from around the world who are helping create American jobs, grow our economy, and make our nation more competitive.

“Immigrants have long made America more prosperous and innovative, and the Champions we are celebrating today represent the very best in leadership, entrepreneurship, and public service,” said US Chief Technology Officer Todd Park.  “We are proud to recognize these leaders who work every day to grow our economy, advance science and technology, and support their home communities.”

The Champions of Change program was created as an opportunity for the White House to feature groups of Americans – individuals, businesses and organizations – who are doing extraordinary things to empower and inspire members of their communities.

To learn more about the White House Champions of Change program and nominate a Champion, visit http://www.whitehouse.gov/champions/immigrant-innovators

 

UPDATE: Ashifi Gogo wrote a great post on the Champions of Change Blog that we are excited to share with others: http://www.whitehouse.gov/blog/2013/06/04/empowering-people-worldwide-fight-counterfeit-drugs.

Missed the event? Watch here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2V0HXyha6Hs

 

Dr. Ashifi Gogo

Cambridge, MA

Dr. Ashifi Gogo is the CEO of Sproxil, a social enterprise that empowers consumers in emerging markets with mobile technology to combat the $600 billion counterfeit goods industry. Under his leadership, Sproxil developed its award-winning Mobile Product Authentication™ (MPATM) technology that has been used on over 100 million products by more than 2 million consumers to verify the authenticity of their medication. Former U.S. President Bill Clinton described Sproxil as “a genuinely remarkable achievement… [it’s] empowering…putting people in charge of their own healthcare.” Sproxil’s MPA solution is now used on multiple continents and in many industries including pharmaceutical products, automotive, garment, and fast-moving consumer goods.

 

Sproxil Wins 2013 Patents for Humanity Award

Sproxil Wins Patents for Humanity Award from

U.S. Department of Commerce 

Program Recognizes Innovative Companies Leading the Way to Solve

Global Health and Standard of Living Challenges

Cambridge, MA (April 11, 2013) – Sproxil, a leading provider of world-class brand protection for emerging markets, has been named a recipient of the U.S. Department of Commerce’s ‘Patents for Humanity’ Award during a ceremony on Capitol Hill today.  Launched in 2012 by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, Patents for Humanity is a competition recognizing patent owners and licensees who address global challenges in health and standards of living.

Sproxil is recognized for its Mobile Product Authentication™ (MPATM) solution that allows consumers to verify products are genuine by using a mobile phone and a free (SMS) text message.  While the solution can be used for any tangible product, MPA solution’s first application is addressing the need to combat counterfeit medication.

Upon purchasing medication, consumers scratch a label revealing a one-time use code, then text the code to a secure number provided on the package. As part of the MPA technology, the text message is processed to determine the drug’s genuineness. Within seconds, the end user is notified, via text, of the result. Alternatively, consumers can call a consumer support desk to get results in their local language.

The solution is deployed in developing regions of Africa and Asia; it is offered in Nigeria, India, Kenya (serving East Africa), and Ghana (serving West Africa).

As of March 2013, Sproxil has processed over 3.8million verifications from consumers in multiple markets.  Sproxil has won awards from the Clinton Global Initiative and IEEE, amongst others. Most recently, the company was ranked #1 in health care and #7 overall in Fast Company® Magazine’s World’s 50 Most Innovative Companies.