Security Countermeasures
I believe that the pharmaceutical industry does not have the correct countermeasures in place to prevent counterfeit drugs being sold as authentics in the U.S. Based on the various issues reported, it determines that the pharmaceutical industries were not able to prevent the selling of counterfeit drugs. According to Palmer (2014), GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) has reported many cases of drug tampering across the U.S. The tampering with the drugs cause serious threats on the patients as well as increasing costs for the drug makers. GSK also seen the increases problems in the Pharmaceutical industries as in the case of parties extorting money from $JNJ (Norman, 2010). There have also been serious cases reported by FDA in seven states over the kind of pills and colors used. This indicates the increased concerns on the ability of the pharmaceutical industry to deal with counterfeit drugs. Considering the various medical products collected by GSK, the organization was not able to determine the legality of the medical products. For instance, GSK recommended that any person who might have taken any anti-alli capsule should seek medical attention.
In another serious instance, drugs worth $70M were stolen from a pharmaceutical warehouse in Harford. This shows the inability of the pharmaceutical industries to provide security for the drugs. The stolen prescription drugs stolen would later be sold in black market as counterfeit products. Other similar cases have been reported in the states marking a regular theft of the prescription-drugs (Reitz, 2010). The inability of the pharmaceuticals to control the case of selling illegal drugs relates to the increase terrorism directed towards the government facilities. The terrorists have targeted the biopharmaceutical industries in order to steal the medical products. Also, the pharmaceutical industries have voiced their worries calling for public support to control the vice. Therefore, there is enough evidence to show that the pharmaceutical industries to do not have the appropriate countermeasures to prevent the selling of counterfeit drugs across the U.S.
References
Norman, T.L. (2010). Risk analysis and security countermeasure selection. Florida: CRC Press Taylor & Francis Group, LLC.
Palmer, E (March 26, 2014). GSK says someone tampered with alli bottles. Retrieved from http://www.fiercepharmamanufacturing.com/story/gsk-says-someone-tampered-alli-bottles/2014-03-26.
Reitz, S. (May 16, 2010). Prescription Drug Heist: $70M Worth Of Drugs Stolen From Pharmaceutical Warehouse In CT. Retrieved from http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/03/16/prescription-drug-heist-7_n_500845.html