Counterfeit drug type #4: Alzheimer's and AIDS drugs
Counterfeit Drugs: Page 4
By Melanie Haiken, Caring.com senior editor
Particularly hard to detect are problems with counterfeit drugs for conditions such as Alzheimer's and AIDS, because the drugs are used as maintenance therapy to prevent disease progression. Since they're not controlling acute symptoms, you might not know for a long time -- if ever -- whether or not they're working.
Drugs to watch out for:
- Antiretroviral combinations used to treat AIDS
- Aricept (donepezil hydrochloride)
- Namenda (memantine hydrochloride)
- Other medications used to treat Alzheimer's
How to protect yourself:
Get prescriptions filled at an authorized pharmacy. Look for savings by asking the doctor to order in larger quantities or to substitute a generic, rather than buying them yourself online or from Canada or Mexico.
