Fake medication: Austrians now have to be particularly careful!

Fake medication: Austrians now have to be particularly careful!

Österreich, Österreich - On April 2, 2025, Austrian customs urgently warns of the risk of drug falsifications. In 2024 he confiscated a total of 378,109 fake and illegal medication, which represents a decrease of over 50 percent compared to 801,863 preparations in 2023 href = "https://www.ots.at/presseaus-sung/ots_20250402_ots0147/vadlicht-vor-arzneimittelfaelschungen"> OTS reported.

Alexander Herzog, General Secretary of the Pharmig, emphasizes that illegal trade in drugs harbors significant dangers. Europol also published the results of Operation Shield V in January 2025, in which false medicines worth 11.1 million euros were secured in 30 countries.

Health risks by fake medication

fake medication are often of less quality and can contain harmful substances or be incorrectly dosed. The use of such funds can result in serious health consequences, such as bfarm warns. In particular, the distinction between counterfeits in the legal supply chain and those from illegal sources, such as not authorized Internet dealers, is of great importance.

The best protection against health risks is to obtain medication via the legal supply chain, which includes manufacturers, wholesale and pharmacies. Over-the-counter drugs can be bought online, but only with certified internet pharmacies. The sale of prescription drugs via the Internet is strictly prohibited.

most common fake medication

In Austria, the secured products mainly focus on supposed sexual enhancers, fertility-promoting products, remedies for nausea, as well as sleeping and sedative. These medicines are often distributed via online portals that present themselves as serious suppliers.

The Federal Ober authorities such as the BfArm, the Paul-Ehrlich Institute and the Federal Office for Consumer Protection are central coordination points for drug risks. Your task is, among other things, to inform the public about counterfeiting cases and corresponding measures for danger defense and to pass this information to European authorities to ensure comprehensive security measures.