(RxWiki News) As if the drug shortages hitting the cancer world aren't bad enough, there are now reports of fake drugs on the market!
Doctors, hospitals and patient groups are being warned to be on the lookout for counterfeits of Avastin. This fraud alert was issued by Swiss drug maker Roche Holding AG.
"Ask your pharmacist about the safeguards in place to guard against counterfeit medications."
Avastin is one of the most widely used cancer medications used in the United States.
Roche's Genentech unit said that testing of look-alike vials showed that the fake versions did not contain the active ingredients in Roche's injectable drugs.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is investigating the matter, according to Roche.
Meanwhile, Genetech is asking healthcare professionals to contact FDA Office of Criminal Investigations if any suspicious supplies of the drugs are found.
The drugs involved are believed to be labeled 400 mg/16 mL with the followiong lot numbers:
- B86017
- B6011
- B6010
The packaging also doesn't look the same. The authentic drugs have Genetech printed on the packaging and has a six-digit lot number.
