Trading Standards warning over fake flu drugs

TRADING Standards are warning customers not to get conned by attempting to buy drugs that combat pandemic flu over the internet.

A Lancashire man recently paid over £170 for 30 capsules of 'Tamiflu' ordered from an American online pharmacy. The drugs were dispatched from China and appear to be fake. The customer complained to Lancashire Trading Standards after noticing various spelling mistakes on the packaging and instructions.

Jim Potts, Chief Trading Standards officer, said: "There is currently a massive market in fake and stolen versions of the antiviral drug Tamiflu which is being fuelled by fears of a pandemic flu outbreak. Governments and health agencies around the world are stockpiling this drug as quickly as they can so it is actually very difficult for anyone else to get hold of the genuine product.

"Criminals are making millions out of exploiting people's fears over pandemic flu by offering counterfeit drugs claiming to be Tamiflu over the internet. I would advise anyone concerned about influenza to contact their local GP as the actual ingredients of these fake capsules are unknown and should not be consumed as they could be harmful."

The capsules ordered by the Lancashire resident have been sent for identification to the Medicines and Healthcare Product Regulatory Agency (MHRA) who are responsible for controlling the quality of medicinal products on sale in the UK.

The MHRA have recently warned of the international market in fake and stolen Tamiflu and have recently seized £500,000 of illegally imported drugs in a raid in London.

Lancashire Trading Standards can be contacted via Consumer Direct on 08454 04 05 06, Textphone/Minicom 08451 28 13 84.