Sounds like it, LORI..
CDEX should spend more time with the FDA??
The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) today announced a public-private partnership to help spot counterfeit or substandard antimalarial medicines using a tool called the counterfeit detection device, or CD-3.
Developed by researchers in the FDA's Forensic Chemistry Center, in Cincinnati, Ohio, the CD-3 is a low-cost, hand-held, battery-operated tool that provides visual results in seconds, requires only limited training to operate, and can be used in remote locations.
"The device works by taking advantage of the fact that substances absorb light waves differently depending on their chemical makeup; so if you illuminate a counterfeit or substandard product it will look different from the authentic product," FDA Commissioner Margaret A. Hamburg, MD, explained during a briefing today.
The FDA also announced today it has signed a letter of intent with Corning Incorporated to refine and improve the tool for eventual manufacture on a larger scale for broader use.
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"Counterfeiters don't limit themselves to antimalarial drugs," Dr. Hamburg noted. "Counterfeit and substandard drugs are a worldwide problem that we face in the United States as well. We've seen counterfeits for cancer drugs, cardiovascular medicines, and antidepressants to name just a few. Counterfeit drugs with little or no active ingredients can have devastating consequences."
Dr. Hamburg said that since 2010, the CD-3 has successfully identified counterfeit drugs and other unapproved products at US ports of entry. The tool has been applied effectively to screen cosmetics, foods, medical devices, and cigarettes and investigate product-tampering and questionable documents.
"We believe it has the potential to be a frontline tool in protecting the integrity of the global supply chain," Dr. Hamburg said.
