alfa wrote:Strange, because I always thought everything coming out of India and Pakistan like Cipla and the like were already fake. So we're saying there may be fakes of the fake?
This is a slightly involved topic, let me see if I can break it down:
Original / Genuine / Brand Name This is referring to only one thing - the branded version of a drug that is being sold by the company who holds the intellectual property rights for the development of the drug.
This is further broken down into the
officially registered and distributed version for our territory, and then
other versions with other languages, packaging or variations meant for sale in different markets.
Example: Glucophage Metformin 500mg manufactured in France by Merck for our market. Distributed by Oscar Francois.
GenericAfter a set number of years, the chemical formula of the drug that was protected information becomes public information, (but not necessarily the technology to formulate it, or the processes used to mass produce it). Other companies are free to make their own version of the drugs, which is supposed to go through thorough testing to make sure it has a
similar effect. The quantity and chemical makeup of the "active ingredient" must be the same. The excipients (the other inactive ingredients making up the rest of the dose are not necessarily the same.
Examples: Metformin 500 by the Denk company manufactured in Germany for sale in EU and Caribbean, distributed by Massy Distribution.
Health 2000 Metformin 500mg, manufactured by S Kant Healthcare in India for sale in Canada and Caribbean, distributed by Optima Pharmaceuticals.
Fake / CounterfeitAs mentioned earlier in this thread, companies faking drugs, mostly fake the "original" one, so they will look similar to the original and it should be impossible to tell the difference if done well
BUT as far as I know, there is almost no faking of drugs
meant for our market. What that means is that you are unlikely to run across a fake drug that looks
exactly like the officially registered drug in Trinidad.
The risk here is those drugs not meant for our market in the first place, and being distributed by sketchy third party suitcase traders. They will look somewhat similar, but with foreign markings and generally a cheaper price, but not by much because most of the savings will be profits for pharmacies who don't care to inform you.
Here's an example with some heart medication:
Original (Servier Corporation, Oscar Francois) and Generic (Cipla, Physicians Pharmaceuticals Ltd.) for our market:
Finally, here is an example of the same drug, meant for the Turkish market, and distributed by a fly by night operation with a link in Customs:
Note, this could be real or fake, we will never know without lab testing.
Exercise caution when buying your pharmaceuticals
