There is a fake “morning after” pill on the market and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is warning the public about it. The drug’s name is called Evital and no such product has been approved to date and it may not be safe or effective in preventing pregnancy although approved in South America. Uh oh.
Counterfeit medicine is fake medicine. It may be contaminated or contain the wrong or no active ingredient. They could have the right active ingredient but at the wrong dose. Counterfeit drugs are illegal and may be harmful to your health.
FDA takes all reports of suspect counterfeits seriously and, in order to combat counterfeit medicines, is working with other agencies and the private sector to help protect the nation’s drug supply from the threat of counterfeits.
The 1.5 mg, single-tablet packaging calls the product an “anticonceptivo de emergencia,” purportedly manufactured by Fluter Domull. The company does not have a website, but does have a Facebook page with little information about the product.
An FDA spokesperson said the pill is approved in the Dominican Republic, and the agency is concerned that the pill is being distributed in Hispanic communities in the U.S.
The agency advised patients to contact a doctor if they’ve taken the medication and experienced any adverse effects, adding that there are other options for emergency birth control, both prescription and over-the-counter. Those include Plan B and ulipristal acetate (Ella).
The morning-after pill can be used after a pair has had unprotected sex. Depending on where a woman is in their menstrual cycle, the morning-after pill can prevent or delay ovulation, block fertilization, or keep a fertilized egg from implanting in the uterus. One should not take the morning-after pill if they are already pregnant.
Counterfeiting can apply to both brand name and generic products, where the identity of the source is mislabeled in a way that suggests that it is the authentic approved product. Counterfeit products may include products without the active ingredient, with an insufficient or excessive quantity of the active ingredient, with the wrong active ingredient, or with fake packaging.
Also look out for internet sales. Buying prescription and over-the-counter drugs on the Internet from a company you don’t know means you may not know exactly what you’re getting.
There are many websites that operate legally and offer convenience, privacy, and safeguards for purchasing medicines. But there are also many “rogue websites” that offer to sell potentially dangerous drugs that have not been checked for safety or effectiveness. Though a rogue site may look professional and legitimate, it could actually be an illegal operation.
These rogue sites often sell unapproved drugs, drugs that contain the wrong active ingredient, drugs that may contain too much or too little of the active ingredient, or drugs that contain dangerous ingredients.
The FDA continues to proactively protect consumers from counterfeit drugs. The agency is working with drug manufacturers, wholesalers, and retailers to identify and prevent counterfeit drugs. FDA also is exploring the use of modern technologies and other measures that will make it more difficult for counterfeit drugs to get mixed up with, or deliberately substituted for, safe and effective medicines.
Written by Sy Kraft