A challenge for healthcare but just another opportunity for illegitimate online sellers: Dubious market of shortage oncology drugs

Fittler, András; Vida, Róbert György; Rádics, V; Botz, Lajos

doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0203185

Cited by 22 publications

(25 citation statements)

References 53 publications

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“…Drug shortages also lead to online purchasing from illegitimate vendors that are difficult to differentiate for the consumers. In addition, such purchasing increased the financial burden for patients as they are available at increased prices than in pharmacies (Jackson et al, 2012;Fittler et al, 2018;Koenraadt and van De Ven, 2018).…”

Section: Economic Impactsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The available online medicines may have quality problems. Many research studies found that online purchasing occurs in high-income countries like Malta, the United Kingdom, Netherlands, with an increased risk of counterfeit medicines and increased drug prices than local purchasing (Jackson et al, 2012;Fittler et al, 2018;Koenraadt and van De Ven, 2018).…”

Section: Clinical Impactsmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 1 more Smart Citation

Drug Shortage: Causes, Impact, and Mitigation Strategies

et al. 2021

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Drug shortage is a global issue affecting low, middle, and high-income countries. Many countries have developed various strategies to overcome the problem, while the problem is accelerating, affecting the whole world. All types of drugs, such as essential life-saving drugs, oncology medicines, antimicrobial drugs, analgesics, opioids, cardiovascular drugs, radiopharmaceutical, and parenteral products, are liable to the shortage. Among all pharmaceutical dosage forms, sterile injectable products have a higher risk of shortage than other forms. The causes of shortage are multifactorial, including supply issues, demand issues, and regulatory issues. Supply issues consist of manufacturing problems, unavailability of raw materials, logistic problems, and business problems. In contrast, demand issues include just-in-time inventory, higher demand for a product, seasonal demand, and unpredictable demand. For regulatory issues, one important factor is the lack of a unified definition of drug shortage. Drug shortage affects all stakeholders from economic, clinical, and humanistic aspects. WHO established global mitigation strategies from four levels to overcome drug shortages globally. It includes a workaround to tackle the current shortage, operational improvements to reduce the shortage risk and achieve early warning, changes in governmental policies, and education and training of all health professionals about managing shortages.

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Section: Economic Impactsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Clinical Impactsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Drug Shortage: Causes, Impact, and Mitigation Strategies

et al. 2021

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“…Meanwhile, it evolved into a vehicle for counterfeit vendors since the online space ideally conceals the identity of illegitimate sellers and easily confuses consumers [5]. Although rather contradictory, potential "additional benefits" can be perceived by individuals regarding the illegal online pharmacy market: direct purchasing of prescription-only medicines (POM) without consultation, accessibility of limited or no availability products (controlled drugs, unapproved generics, recalled medications or those with off-label recommendations), discrete payment options using cryptocurrency and lastly, no maximum purchase quantity [3,4,[6][7][8].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Effect of Infodemic Regarding the Illegal Sale of Medications on the Internet: Evaluation of Demand and Online Availability of Ivermectin during the COVID-19 Pandemic

Fittler

Adeniye

Katz

et al. 2021

IJERPH

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The COVID-19 pandemic and the related infodemic generated confusion and increased demand of various pharmaceuticals, ushering in the opportunity for illicit online vendors to fill a gap in the marketplace using potentially dangerous products. The aim of our study is to provide evidence regarding increased demand, online availability and consumer accessibility of ivermectin, an anthelmintic agent, without substantiated indications in reference to SARS-CoV-2. In our study, we combined infodemiology methodology aligned with search engine result assessment and website analytics to evaluate patient safety risks. Users’ Google queries regarding ivermectin were trending and peaked during the last week of November 2020 and March 2021. Consumers more likely found links leading directly or indirectly (via redirection) to illegal online retailers representing nearly half (53.3%) of search engine result links regarding the first three result pages in December 2020 and topped off at 73.3% by March 2021. Illicit medicine retailers outnumbered and outranked their legitimate counterparts and dominated the first search engine results page. A vast majority (77.7%) of the identified online pharmacies were characteristically rogue; more than half (55.5%) offered prescription-only products without a valid medical prescription. Our results illustrate connection between infodemic and its consequences on the illicit online pharmacy market

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“…The bolstered distribution of counterfeit medicines and pharmaceutical products can be attributed to the increased use of online pharmacies in recent years [ 8 ] and the ongoing COVID‐19 pandemic scenario. Approximately 40 000 online pharmacies are currently active worldwide, with an increase of 600 every month.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Cyber‐Physical Watermarking with Inkjet Edible Bioprinting

Jeon

Leem

et al. 2022

Adv Funct Materials

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Counterfeit medicines are a fundamental healthcare problem, threatening patient safety and public health as well as causing economic damage. Online pharmacies and the ongoing pandemic have promoted medicine counterfeiting. However, the existing anticounterfeit methods are limited because of material toxicity, low security, and complicated fabrication. Here a dosage‐level security method is introduced that combines digital watermarking and physical printing at the material level. A set of requirements is designed to ensure the edibility, printability, imperceptibility, and robustness of cyber‐physical watermarking. An inkjet printer using safe food coloring is adapted to print a watermarked image on a recombinant luminescent silk protein taggant to enhance attack resistance. Machine learning of color accuracy recovers unavoidable color distortions during printing and acquisition, allowing robust smartphone readability. An edible watermarked taggant affixed to each individual medicine can offer anticounterfeit and authentication features at the dosage level, empowering every patient to aid in abating illicit medicines.

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A challenge for healthcare but just another opportunity for illegitimate online sellers: Dubious market of shortage oncology drugs

Cited by 22 publications

References 53 publications

Drug Shortage: Causes, Impact, and Mitigation Strategies

Drug Shortage: Causes, Impact, and Mitigation Strategies

Effect of Infodemic Regarding the Illegal Sale of Medications on the Internet: Evaluation of Demand and Online Availability of Ivermectin during the COVID-19 Pandemic

Cyber‐Physical Watermarking with Inkjet Edible Bioprinting

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