Gilead Says Filed Suit To Stop Spread Of Counterfeit HIV Medication After Thousands Sold

WASHINGTON (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 19th January, 2022) The US biopharmaceutical company Gilead Sciences said that a network of counterfeit drug suppliers managed to sell a fake version of its human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) medication and the company has filed a lawsuit to prevent their distribution to patients.

"After becoming aware of counterfeit Gilead HIV medication being distributed, we notified Federal law enforcement authorities, including the FDA, as well as dispensing pharmacies, and then took direct and urgent legal action to halt counterfeit Gilead HIV medication from reaching patients," Gilead said on Tuesday.

The network had sold some $250 million worth of the fake Gilead medication, with well over 60,000 bottles transported to pharmacies and then provided to patients.

"The court has ordered that all of the parties in this case responsible for distributing the counterfeits stop selling Gilead-branded medication and we are not aware of any defendant violating this order.

We therefore believe that we have successfully stopped any additional counterfeits from these defendants reaching patients,"Gillead said.

The company said the counterfeit bottles contained anti-psychotic drugs or over-the-counter painkillers.

Gilead said it discovered the fraud when a patient at White Cross Pharmacy in California said in August of 2020 that they received the wrong pills. The pharmacy contacted Gilead and said that it bought the drugs from the Safe Chain Solutions because it offered them at a lower price.

Following the incident, Gilead seized thousands of bottles from Safe Chain Solutions after being granted a permission to do so by the judge.