The U.S. Trade Representative's annual "notorious markets" report highlights the risks posed by nearly 35,000 illegal online pharmacies, which are operating outside the law and selling potentially dangerous or ineffective drugs, reports AP
The report also identifies 19 countries of concern for counterfeit or pirated goods and names several online retailers, particularly from China and other parts of Asia, engaged in illegal activities.
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The report states that 96% of online pharmacies are violating regulations, often operating without licenses and selling medications without prescriptions or proper safety warnings. These websites frequently resemble legitimate platforms, misleading consumers with false claims of FDA approval. Both the FDA and U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration have issued warnings regarding the dangers of purchasing prescription drugs from these sources.
A survey by the Alliance for Safe Online Pharmacies' Global Foundation revealed that nearly one in four Americans who used online pharmacies encountered substandard, fake, or harmful medicines. Last year, U.S. federal prosecutors exposed a network of illegal drug sellers from the U.S., Dominican Republic, and India who had sold counterfeit pills containing potentially lethal synthetic opioids. At least nine deaths were linked to these pills between August 2023 and June 2024.
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Aside from the risk of consuming inert or allergy-inducing substances, these drugs may be produced in unsanitary conditions, though the report did not provide specific statistics on harm or fatalities. The USTR report highlighted both domestic and international concerns, including the illicit import of ingredients like fentanyl from China.
The Alliance for Safe Online Pharmacies praised the USTR for identifying these dangerous entities, calling it an essential tool for healthcare providers, patient safety advocates, and law enforcement in protecting consumers.
The report also acknowledged progress in combatting counterfeit and pirated goods. For example, U.S. authorities successfully shut down a major piracy operation in Hanoi, Vietnam, which was responsible for a large portion of global movie piracy. Additional crackdowns were mentioned in Brazil, the UK, and Kuwait, addressing counterfeit goods and pirate content.
However, the report noted the ongoing challenges posed by cyberlockers that facilitate piracy and "bulletproof" ISPs, which provide protection for users accessing illegal content. Examples include Avito, a Russian ad platform, and Baidu Wangpan, a cloud service provider in China. The report also pointed to e-commerce platforms like Pinduoduo, Douyin Mall, and Shopee, which, despite improvements, continue to host counterfeit goods.
It also identified real-world locations notorious for selling counterfeit products, such as markets in Turkey and the UAE, as well as Saigon Square Mall in Vietnam and Bangkok's MBK Center, which, although cracking down on counterfeiting, still allow counterfeit items to be sold.