Best Label/Seal Tampering Websites
How would you know that your medicine is not counterfeit?
Despite the strong campaign of the government against the abuse of drug manufacturers in counterfeiting and tampering of drug products’ seals, a lot of us are still victimized by these kinds of fraudulent activities.
Labels and seals are an important part of a drug’s package to ensure consumers that it goes through the right process and is in good quality.
So that it would be easy for us to identify that what we had bought is tampered or not, I gathered the top sites that discuss information and precautions so that consumers would be guided and informed.
Mayo Clinic.com
(http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/drug-information/DI00004)
The site provides tips against tampering of over-the-counter medicines. It includes general common sense suggestions on protecting yourself from tampered packages. Like when buying a drug product, dosage and type of packaging should be observed if there is a possibility that it would be easily tampered.
Consumers would be alerted as to what to look for in the packaging, like color of liquid (if it is a syrup), the tablets, capsules, tubes, and jars (for ointments and creams), among others.
The site also has a free weekly newsletter which could be delivered right in your inbox. Just make sure to register for more information on drugs and supplements.
b. Federal Citizen Information Centre
(http://www.pueblo.gsa.gov/cic_text/health/buymedtampering/stoplook.htm)
In buying medicine, you have to Stop, Look, and Look Again. This is what the site is all about.
This site aims to help consumers in protecting themselves against
tampering. It highlights three important things in buying
over-the-counter medicines, like how one can protect oneself by reading
labels carefully, inspecting the package carefully, and not using any
medicine from a package that shows cuts, tears, or other imperfections.
More than that, it also reminds consumers that when in doubt on what you to buy from the drugstores, immediately tell somebody who can do something about it, ask questions, and don’t buy it.
The site is produced in cooperation with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.
c. Therapeutic Goods Administration
(http://www.tga.gov.au/docs/pdf/tepguide.pdf)
The site contains concise information and guideline for the tamper-evident packaging of medicines, complimentary healthcare products, and medical devices.
It features notes on acceptable and unacceptable tamper-evident features of drugs, as well as notes for guidance on testing of tamper-evident packaging features. It also provides sample label statements.
This guideline has been developed by the Australian Self-Medication Industry, in consultation with Australia’s different health organizations. This is to protect the interest of the medical community, the industry, and individual companies alike.
The site is in PDF format so that it would be just easy for consumers to print a copy of this guideline.
