Fake Viagra in Australia Prompts Search for Source
At least 776 packs of the phony pills found
JB Reed/Bloomberg
Tablets of Pfizer's erectile dysfunction drug Viagra.
Tablets of Pfizer's erectile dysfunction drug Viagra. Photographer: JB Reed/Bloomberg
Counterfeit versions of Pfizer Inc.’s Viagra were found in two Australian states, prompting a nationwide search for the source of the fake medicine.
At least 776 packs of the phony erection pills were identified in the southeastern states of New South Wales and Victoria after customers complained that the blue diamond- shaped pills were ineffective, said Maida Talhami, a Sydney- based Pfizer spokeswoman. Tests showed they contained incorrect amounts of sildenafil, Viagra’s active ingredient, Australia’s Therapeutic Goods Administration said in a statement today.
It’s the first time fake copies of Viagra are reported to have entered Australia’s pharmaceutical supply chain, Talhami said. Counterfeits with the same batch number seized in other countries have been traced to China, suggesting it is the most likely source, she said. Viagra, with global sales of $1.9 billion, was New York-based Pfizer’s fifth best-selling medication in 2009, according to data compiled by Bloomberg.
“There is no evidence that the product represents a safety hazard, but it is likely to be ineffective,” the Canberra-based drugs regulator said in an e-mailed statement. The agency has advised pharmacists to quarantine packs bearing the batch number 314 833 021 with an expiry date of 04/2012, it said.
To contact the reporter on this story: Simeon Bennett in Singapore at sbennett9@bloomberg.net
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