Drugs: Counterfeit Prescriptions

One of the newest and least-known rackets in the U.S. today is the traffic in stolen, counterfeit, outdated and smuggled, substandard drugs. An honest pharmacist may unwittingly buy them from an apparently legitimate wholesaler. A crooked druggist may seek them out. So far, no regulatory agency has been able to determine how many of the billion or more prescriptions handled annually by U.S. pharmacists are filled with substandard items. But the racket is growing, and with it, the potential danger to unsuspecting patients.

Margaret Kreig, a freelance writer who specializes in medical matters,...

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