1 in 5 people tricked into buying fake medications

Added: 2026-05-12

[00:00:00]Buying medication online may seem quick and convenient, but it could come with some serious risks. Researchers over at Michigan State found one in five people surveyed say they were tricked into buying counterfeit medications online.

[00:00:13]That includes prescription drugs, over-the-counter medicine, and supplements. So, joining us right now is Salem Alhabesh, the associate director of research for MSU's Center for Anti-counterfeiting and Product Protection to talk about how big this problem really is. Sele, thank you for joining us this morning. uh give us kind of a an overview of what you found in the survey and the research.

[00:00:33]>> Well, uh it's it's quite interesting.

[00:00:35]When we did the survey in eight countries, we found out that people are gravitating more and more toward online spaces to buy medications.

[00:00:44]>> Um nearly half of our sample indicated that they are in the habit of buying medications online. And what we also found out is that one in five of these participants have been deceived into buying counterfeit medications when shopping online, but also one in four um did so knowingly. We also found that this comes with a slew of harms uh from um negative health effects to financial losses. Um, and one additional thing that I would like to point out is one of the greatest motivations for buying medications that was incredibly and strongly influential in explaining um why people buy medications online is necessity. The motivation to buy it because there's no alternative. People cannot find the authentic medication or they do not have a valid prescription or they they do they cannot afford the price of the original and authentic medication.

[00:01:40]>> Sure. Sure. And you know, it it seems like we're kind of walking a fine line here because as the cost of life goes up exponentially every single day, people have to find ways to cut back and cut down their bills. And I'm sure looking for alternatives online is one of those things. Uh but how are we ending up with counterfeit or or fake medications?

[00:02:01]Well, I mean that's the the issue is that the online environment is ripe with bad actors who um have a good sense of what is popular, what is needed, of the demand for different kinds of medications. And they produce medications that are without any standards, without any regulations that often include harmful chemicals. and they are able to market them and promote them directly to consumers through online channels whether it is on e-commerce platforms, onlineies or even social media platforms. Um, and this is part of a broader ecosystem where we have influencers, other users that are talking about medications um, and they are even encouraging people to buy them from these unauthorized illicit sources.

[00:02:53]M Did your survey ask what types of prescriptions are the most counterfeit or the most sought out online? Maybe birth control pills, weight loss pills, things like that.

[00:03:04]>> It varies. It varies by country, but at the top of the list uh across um the different sample was vitamins and supplements because there are easily accessible. But it varies by country from cold cold and flu remedies to other types of uh medications that are more specialized in treating certain diseases.

[00:03:25]>> Okay. So if we are one of those people who are are looking for a coste effective way to get our prescriptions and our medications, what advice do you have in terms of sorting out the legitimate uh online re sellers from those who aren't?

[00:03:40]I mean I think it is important to always ensure that you have a valid prescription and to try and get it from a brick and mortar from a trusted source. If you are shopping for online and if the deal looks too good to be true, if the price is significantly lower than the retail price of the authentic product, then this is a major red flag. Also, I would encourage people to check who the seller is. what types of information can you gather about the validity and authenticity of the seller?

[00:04:11]Um, so these are some of the techniques that we um encourage consumers um to abide by when shopping for medications online.

[00:04:19]>> You know, we've also heard about uh like discount uh groups or coupons for online savings. Does any of that actually work?

[00:04:29]>> I mean, I think it varies. I think counterfeit medications are available on a number of platforms including online pharmacies. There's research that was conducted years ago by uh international organizations that identified that 97% of onlineies operate illegally and have illicit products on them.

[00:04:48]>> So the thing is that these products these medications the fake medications are everywhere and they're easily accessible to individuals who have prescriptions and who do not have prescriptions. those who are needing them for treating ailments and illnesses as well as those who are trying them recreationally. These are easily accessible to everyone in the online space.

[00:05:12]>> Uh for us lay people who do not have a lab at our disposal, is there any way for us to test these to see if they are effective or safe for us?

[00:05:22]I I it's it's very hard to say if it's not authorized or produced by the original maker, the producer of these medications, then I would be very very cautious to even start thinking about testing whether or not they are good or not. Some of them have no chemicals, so they are almost like placeos. But other ones have harmful substances like fentanyl and other substances that could really harm the health and well-being of individuals and communities.

[00:05:54]>> Gotcha. Okay. All right. Dr. Salem Alabash with MSU.