The second episode of the crime series "The Insoliti Sospetti, Do You Really Trust Them?" addresses the issue of buying counterfeit drugs online. The episode is part of a real 4-episode crime series, promoted by IBSA with social and adv campaigns, to raise awareness and inform the public on the phenomenon of drug counterfeiting.
The protagonist of this episode is Black Cap, a hacker member of the gang of Unusual Suspects, dedicated to counterfeiting and selling drugs on the web. But the online trade of prescription-only drugs is illegal: as explained in the continuation of the video by Prof. Luigi Congi, President of AGIFAR, Associazione Giovani Farmacisti Milano Lodi MB Pavia, on the web it is permitted to buy only non-prescription drugs in recognized and authorized pharmacies, easily recognizable by the national identification logo. As the Professor clearly says, unauthorized e-commerce companies that sell and advertise prescription-only drugs are undoubtedly illegal. Prof. recommends purchasing prescription-only drugs at the physical point of sale, i.e., from the pharmacist. Not only for a matter of legality, but also because buying counterfeit medicines is risky for health.
Despite all these risks, in order to avoid obtaining the prescription, many people still make illegal purchases for shame reasons or saving reasons, such as the attractive price1. These consumers, however, are unaware that that apparent saving can turn into a very heavy cost to health1. Unfortunately, the trade in counterfeit products is also facilitated by the increase in small shipments via postal packages, letters or parcels, which are more difficult for the customs authorities to identify2. Fortunately, AIFA, Carabinieri and Guardia di Finanza carry out surveillance functions: in the three-year period 2014-2017 alone they seized 2.4 million counterfeit packages. In any case, the website of the Ministry of Health provides a search engine for subjects / entities authorized to trade medicines on the web.
In a few minutes, the 4 series episodes of the Gang of Unusual Suspects’ adventures commented on by expert clinicians, succeeds in transmitting a very important message: be careful with the drugs you buy online and always be wary of counterfeit ones, which are risky for personal and public health.
Watch the crime series on the website www.insolitisospetti.it