© 2002 by Oxford University Press
Journal of the National Cancer Institute, Vol. 94, No. 19, 1424-1426,
October 2, 2002
© 2002 Oxford University Press
NEWS |
Increase in Drug Tampering Reports Sparks New Security Considerations
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Efforts to identify and intercept phony medication have taken on a greater urgency amid increased concerns that tampering and counterfeiting may become an attractive vehicle for organized crime rings and even terrorists.
The profitability of expensive new drugs used to combat cancer and other diseases along with the growth of Internet and cross-border purchasing appears to have raised the potential for exploitation motivated by both greed and politics.
"There is a concern about potential vulnerability, but it’s an issue that requires responsible analysis and not hysteria," said Lewis Kontnik, J.D., a spokesman for Reconnaissance International, a Colorado-based consulting firm that specializes in anti-counterfeiting measures.
"Counterfeiting is motivated primarily by greed ... . So far it’s been an economic motivation although there is the potential for political motivation such as terrorism. Right now it’s a footnote
Biotech Drug Targets
Foreign Sources
Alertness is Crucial