Counterfeit Drugs and Baby Formula
Four infants are dead and more than 54,000 children in China have suffered from kidney stones and kidney failure this past year as a result of baby formula and powdered milk tainted with melamine, an industrial chemical used to make plastics, glue and is found in pesticides. The toxin found its way into the milk products from more than 30 Chinese companies because of its ability to make the milk appear high in protein.
According to the Wall Street Journal, around two dozen countries and the 27-member European Union have banned or recalled Chinese milk and other products made with it. Among the products involved are those made in China by major multinational firms for sale around Asia—including Nestle milk, Heinz baby cereal, Nabisco Oreos and Ritz, Cadbury chocolate, M&Ms and Snickers from Mars and several batches of Lipton powdered teas made by Unilever.
In the United States, the FDA has issued alerts warning consumer not to consume White Rabbit Creamy Candy or the Mr. Brown instant coffee and milk tea products found in many ethnic stores. However, one of the more disturbing elements of the story is that Chinese government and corporate officials tried to conceal the contamination after receiving their first complaint in December 2007.
As incidents of food, drug and other household product contamination become increasingly apparent across the globe, the Partnership for Safe Medicines is leading the effort to educate the public of the dangers of contaminated or counterfeit drugs. This type of health-threatening behavior exemplifies why consumers need to take an active role in the fight against counterfeit drugs and contaminated products that we may purchase – especially those from foreign markets or online vendors as products produced abroad aren’t necessary regulated in the same fashion as those under the umbrella of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. To find out more about how to protect yourself from contaminated products and counterfeit drugs, visit SafeMedicines.org.