HomeUploadUpload DirectHotlinkRandomAbouttheme toggle

Are Fake Prescription Drugs Killing Us?

Views:788
@ReasonVids

"What would have cost tens of thousands of dollars...can now be done for hundreds of dollars, so it's easier to fake stuff now," warns Roger Bate, resident scholar at the American Enterprise Institute (AEI) and the author of "Phake: The Deadly World of Falsified and Substandard Medicine."

Counterfeit, adulterated, or otherwise compromised prescription drugs are a major problem in Africa and a growing problem in the First World, argues Bate. In recent years, counterfeiters passed off hundreds of thousands of phony Lexapro pills around the globe and in 2008 at least 149 Americans died from fake Heparin, a blood-thinning drug. All told, says Bate, the number of deaths globally from ineffective drugs ranges from 100,000 to 1 million.

As drug production moves to China and other developing nations where oversight is tougher to maintain and more sales take place online where provenance can be tougher to ascertain, Bate says that the most viable solution is increased vigilance on the part of drug makers, providers, and patients alike. He looks forward to a fast-approaching world in which hand-held spectrometers verify pills on the spot and praises various online-pharmacy certification programs.

Referring to the classic 1949 film, "The Third Man," in which Orson Welles plays a drug counterfeiter whose watered-down penicillin in post-war Europe leads to the death of several children, Bate gives Hollywood credit for being well ahead of the curve on putting the spotlight on what he calls "the 2nd oldest profession."

About 7 minutes. Interview by Nick Gillespie (follow him on Twitter at @nickgillespie). Produced by Anthony L. Fisher, with camera by Jim Epstein and Joshua Swain.

Go to http://Reason.tv for downloadable versions and subscribe to Reason.tv's YouTube Channel to receive automatic updates when new material goes live.

phake
,
fake drugs
,
prescription drugs
,
aei
,
american enterprise institute
,
china
,
lexapro
,
heparin
,
penicillin
,
reason
,
reason.com reason (magazine)
,
reason foundation
,
libertarian
,
roger bate
,
nick gillespie
,
anthony l fisher
Thumbnail for Has there ever been a truly libertarian government?2:58
Has there ever been a truly libertarian government?
ReasonVids
1246 views
Thumbnail for "The Death of Money": Q&A with James Rickards30:03
"The Death of Money": Q&A with James Rickards
ReasonVids
919 views
Thumbnail for Cow0:09
Cow
bestofupgoat
446 views
Thumbnail for Stem Cell Harvesting From Abortions17:37
Stem Cell Harvesting From Abortions
bestofvoatxyz
1186 views
Thumbnail for Where We Are Headed | Live From The Lair24:16
Where We Are Headed | Live From The Lair
Terrence Popp
1641 views
Thumbnail for Abigail Shrier Worries Teenage Gender Transitions Lead to 'Irreversible Damage'1:01:43
Abigail Shrier Worries Teenage Gender Transitions Lead to 'Irreversible Damage'
ReasonVids
905 views
Thumbnail for OPTIMIZE and IMPROVE your game with OBJECT POOLING (Unity Tutorial) | BMo12:29
OPTIMIZE and IMPROVE your game with OBJECT POOLING (Unity Tutorial) | BMo
tech.topic
666 views
Thumbnail for Texas City Officials Think They Can Throw You in Jail for Criticizing Them5:33
Texas City Officials Think They Can Throw You in Jail for Criticizing Them
IJvids
1066 views
Thumbnail for Another Modular Laptop??? - GPD Pocket 3 | ShortCircuit13:41
Another Modular Laptop??? - GPD Pocket 3 | ShortCircuit
invidious
308 views
Thumbnail for Lauren Southern - Insight in Alex Jones trial politics from industry insider2:32:20
Lauren Southern - Insight in Alex Jones trial politics from industry insider
bestofwolfballs
1002 views
Thumbnail for Heather Donahue on Growing Marijuana, Life After 'Blair Witch,' and the Beauty of 'Grey' Markets9:43
Heather Donahue on Growing Marijuana, Life After 'Blair Witch,' and the Beauty of 'Grey' Markets
ReasonVids
829 views
Thumbnail for Dance Daphne, Dance!0:42
Dance Daphne, Dance!
bestofvoatxyz
571 views
Thumbnail for Mark Bauerlein - Young Americans Are the Dumbest Generation8:16
Mark Bauerlein - Young Americans Are the Dumbest Generation
ReasonVids
920 views
Thumbnail for The Duff Brewery3:43
The Duff Brewery
clips
859 views
Thumbnail for Steve Horwitz on Austrian Economics, Bleeding Heart Libertarians, and Family9:24
Steve Horwitz on Austrian Economics, Bleeding Heart Libertarians, and Family
ReasonVids
913 views
Thumbnail for Health Benefits of Chamomile - Dr. Jim Collins | Dr. Jim Collins3:41
Health Benefits of Chamomile - Dr. Jim Collins | Dr. Jim Collins
invidious
410 views
Thumbnail for They are in love with the shit1:38
They are in love with the shit
bestofupgoat
426 views
Thumbnail for Jay Greene on Making Schools Better4:53
Jay Greene on Making Schools Better
ReasonVids
856 views
Thumbnail for The CPAC Foreign Policy Split: Old Hawks and Young Doves3:34
The CPAC Foreign Policy Split: Old Hawks and Young Doves
ReasonVids
881 views
Thumbnail for Puppies playing with boy0:25
Puppies playing with boy
bestofvoatxyz
352 views
Thumbnail for Take Care of Business: Reason Saves Cleveland With Drew Carey, ep. 49:36
Take Care of Business: Reason Saves Cleveland With Drew Carey, ep. 4
ReasonVids
927 views
Thumbnail for Plans?0:08
Plans?
bestofupgoat
197 views
Thumbnail for Is Kamala Harris Black Enough?6:48
Is Kamala Harris Black Enough?
AmericanRenaissance
1619 views

points

Permalink
Reply
phake
,
fake drugs
,
prescription drugs
,
aei
,
american enterprise institute
,
china
,
lexapro
,
heparin
,
penicillin
,
reason
,
reason.com reason (magazine)
,
reason foundation
,
libertarian
,
roger bate
,
nick gillespie
,
anthony l fisher
TOS  •  Add Keywords  •  Donate  •   Analytics  •   DMCA  •   Puzzle