Counterfeiting
Counterfeits are intentionally designed to look like genuine medicine, often replicating the packaging, branding and even the physical appearance of authentic products. False representations are used to deceive buyers and patients into believing counterfeits are safe and effective medicines.
These illicitly traded medicines may cause serious and/or life-threatening health risks for patients. They often do not contain the correct compounds or levels of active ingredient and may contain impurities. Their proliferation can contribute to the emergence of drug resistance, exacerbate outbreaks of infectious diseases and undermine efforts to control epidemics.
Gilead is committed to protecting patients and global public health from bad actors selling counterfeit, adulterated and other illicit versions of our medicines. In addition to reporting to and working closely with law enforcement around the world, Gilead takes an active role to detect and prevent counterfeits and other pharmaceutical crime.
Pharmaceutical Distribution is Highly Regulated
Each country has its own regulatory framework governing the approval, manufacturing, distribution and sale of pharmaceutical products. The highly regulated nature of pharmaceutical distribution is essential for safeguarding public health, maintaining the integrity of the pharmaceutical supply chain and ensuring that patients have access to safe, effective and high-quality medicines.
Protecting Product Quality: The primary concern of pharmaceutical distribution regulation is to ensure the quality of medicine remains intact as the medicine travels through the supply chain to patients. Medicines have the potential to cause significant harm if not handled, stored or distributed properly. Regulation helps minimize risks associated with these activities, thereby protecting patients from harm.
Protecting Patients is a Shared Responsibility
Ensuring access to safe and high-quality medicine is a responsibility that must be shared by everyone in the supply chain, including the patient.
Distributors and dispensers should confirm that they are dealing with legitimate sources while knowing and fully trusting their sources as entities that will take financial and legal responsibility if there is a problem with the medicine they sold.
Patients can stay safe by remaining vigilant. Always meet with your doctor to determine which medicine is right for you and use only the medicine prescribed. Gilead recommends that you always fill your prescriptions at a reputable pharmacy that you trust. Before taking a medicine, always inspect packaging and contents for damage, alterations or differences from previous prescriptions for the same medicines. Key signs a medicine may be counterfeit include label discrepencies such as listing different active ingredients or dosage amounts, manipulated expiration dates, spelling errors, poor print quality and broken seals/packages.
If you are unsure about the authenticity of your medicine, ask your healthcare professional before taking the medicine. If you suspect a medicine to be counterfeit, adulterated or otherwise illegitimate, report the medicine to your doctor and pharmacy.
Resources & How to Report Suspected Counterfeits and Other Types of Frauds
The World Health Organization estimates that over 50% of medicines sold online are counterfeit. Gilead recommends that patients take great care when purchasing medicines online and be wary of websites that:
- Permit purchases without a prescription
- Offer medicines at low, "too good to be true" prices
- Send spam or solicitations offering to sell medicine
- Are located outside of your country, or claim to source products from other countries
- Require payment up front, payment via a means not connected to the pharmacy website, or direct transfers between banks or do not accept major credit cards.
If you believe a website or seller is offering counterfeit Gilead medicines, you may report the site to the FDA or the health regulatory authority in your country. Please also share the information with Gilead Quality.
If you are a patient and you are unsure about the authenticity of a Gilead medicine, please contact your healthcare professional or your pharmacy and ask them to contact Gilead Quality on your behalf if they need further assistance.
If you are a buyer and have questions about a source of Gilead medicine or its legitimacy, please contact Gilead Quality.
Contact Gilead QualityGilead’s Commitment to Protecting Patients and Global Public Health
At Gilead, we believe protecting patients and their trust in our company is a social responsibility that supports our health equity mission and commitment to public health.
Gilead’s efforts to detect, stop and deter bad actors from selling counterfeit and other illicit versions of our medicines are shared in Gilead’s annual ESG report.