TruTag was founded in 2011 with the aim of addressing the risk that
counterfeit pharmaceuticals pose to patients, a problem that physician Dr Hank Wuh was deeply concerned by.
However, the researchers admit, "some spam content manages to evade detection and engage users" be they links offering
counterfeit pharmaceuticals or games.
The United States government has been (https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/4329427-D-Utah-2-16-Cr-00631-DAK-PMW-88-0.html) granted permission to sell off hundreds of units of cryptocurrency seized by law enforcement from a man alleged to have sold
counterfeit pharmaceuticals on the dark web.
South Africa-based Spoor and Fisher Jersey, a firm that handles the filing, registration, prosecution and enforcement of trademarks, patents, designs and copyright, says
counterfeit pharmaceuticals in Africa is 30% to 60%, and that in Kenya, up to 80% of malaria drugs are fake.
Since the Saudi Food and Drug Authority (SFDA) enforced the latest version of the Saudi Drug Code (SDC), which aims to protect against
counterfeit pharmaceuticals, Recipharm has serialized, packed, QP released and shipped more than 240,000 units to this market from its facility in Lisbon, Portugal.
Witkowski, Single-Point Analysis and Raman Mapping of Tablet Dosage Formulation as a Means for Detecting and Sourcing
Counterfeit Pharmaceuticals, Pharmaceutical Online, 2007, March 2011, http:// www.pharmaceuticalonline.com/download.mvc/Single-PointAnalysis-And-Raman- Mapping-Of-Do-0001?user=20.
In addition to the threats of
counterfeit pharmaceuticals and the need to enforce nonconventional trademarks with regards to such products, there is also the argument that consumers need to be able to identify the brand by the appearance of the pills.
In addition, 50% of websites that hide their physical addresses sell
counterfeit pharmaceuticals, and 9% of online drug sellers reviewed by LegitScript.com sold ineffective or harmful medicine.
The United States, due in part to housing fifty-percent of the world's leading pharmaceutical companies, is extremely rigorous in their prevention of
counterfeit pharmaceuticals. (108) Led in part by the U.S.'s strong intellectual property ("IP") protection, the first defense against IP infringement is the USTR.
UK authorities are actively engaged in cybercrime enforcement, particularly as it relates to trafficking in
counterfeit pharmaceuticals and the use of the internet as a tool for distribution of narcotics.
This year's report cited China for inadequate trade secret protections, proliferation of
counterfeit pharmaceuticals, and policies that unfairly disadvantage foreign patent holders.