Academic literature on the topic 'Counterfeit samples'

Many poor-quality medicines are supplied to patients mainly in developing countries. No systematic survey on counterfeit medicines has been conducted in Myanmar since 1999. The purpose of this study was to investigate the current situation of substandard or counterfeit medicines in Myanmar. Samples of oral medicines, cefuroxime axetil (CXM), donepezil hydrochloride (DN) and omeprazole (OM), and injections, ceftriaxone sodium (CTRX), and gentamicin sulfate (GM), were collected from pharmacies, hospitals, and wholesalers in Yangon, Myanmar in 2014. Authenticity and quality were verified. There were 221 (94%) foreign medicines among 235 collected samples. Five samples of GM and 1 DN sample were not registered with the Food and Drug Administration, Myanmar. In quality analysis, 36 samples out of 177 (20.3%) did not pass quantity tests, 27 samples out of 176 (15.3%) did not pass content uniformity tests, and 23 out of 128 samples (18.0%) did not pass dissolution tests. Three of the unregistered GM samples failed in both identification and microbial assay tests. Counterfeit GM is being sold in Yangon. Also, the quality of OM is a matter of concern. Poor-quality medicines were frequently found among the products of a few manufacturers. Regular surveys to monitor counterfeit and substandard medicines in Myanmar are recommended.

Identification of Counterfeit Medicines for Erectile Dysfunction from an Illegal Supply ChainThe appearance of counterfeit medicines in supply chains is a global public health problem that may seriously affect patients. Counterfeit drugs do not meet quality standards and do not declare their real composition and/or source for the purposes of fraud. They may be generic or innovative, they may contain genuine constituents in a fake packaging, or wrong ingredients, or inactive ingredients, or an incorrect quantity of the active substance. In Croatia, no cases of counterfeit medicines have been detected so far, but the Agency for Medicinal Products and Medical Devices has received 34 samples of medicines and other products for testing from Zagreb City Police. The samples included medicines for erectile dysfunction: sildenafil, tadalafil, and vardenafil. Twenty-three samples of tablets without marketing authorisation in Croatia were tested with high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) for the declared sildenafil and tadalafil content. Samples labelled 1 (batch T/33), 3 (batch T/33), 5 (batch 4), 6 (batch M0016J), 10 (batch T-070235), 12 (batch T-070544), 15 (batch 314833201), 16 (batch 832718474), and 17 (batch 504830028) containing sildenafil and samples labelled 20 (batch 070356), 21 (batch 05668), and 22 (batch T 378 5) containing tadalafil did not contain the active substance within the acceptable 95 % to 105 % margin of deviation from the declared content. While most samples cannot be described as fake with a reasonable amount of certainty, there is still a suspicion of counterfeit. A correct conclusion can be drawn only with the assistance of the manufacturers and by conducting additional laboratory tests.

Most prescribers and patients in Ghana now opt for the relatively expensive artemether/lumefantrine rather than artesunate-amodiaquine due to undesirable side effects in the treatment of uncomplicated malaria. The study sought to determine the existence of substandard and/or counterfeit artemether-lumefantrine tablets and suspension as well as artemether injection on the market in Cape Coast. Six brands of artemether-lumefantrine tablets, two brands of artemether-lumefantrine suspensions, and two brands of artemether injections were purchased from pharmacies in Cape Coast for the study. The mechanical properties of the tablets were evaluated. The samples were then analyzed for the content of active ingredients using High Performance Liquid Chromatography with a variable wavelength detector. None of the samples was found to be counterfeit. However, the artemether content of the samples was variable (93.22%−104.70% of stated content by manufacturer). The lumefantrine content of the artemether/lumefantrine samples was also variable (98.70%–111.87%). Seven of the artemether-lumefantrine brands passed whilst one failed the International Pharmacopoeia content requirements. All brands of artemether injections sampled met the International Pharmacopoeia content requirement. The presence of a substandard artemether-lumefantrine suspension in the market should alert regulatory bodies to be more vigilant and totally flush out counterfeit and substandard drugs from the Ghanaian market.

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to extend the theory of reasoned action and the theory of planned behaviour to measure the effects of ethical and moral antecedents (e.g. integrity, moral judgement, extrinsic religiosity and intrinsic religiosity, and ethical concern) on attitudes towards counterfeit luxury products. Additionally, it also measured the effects on attitudes towards purchase intention. Design/methodology/approach The scope of the study is the Chinese market. The sample size for the study was 412 participants, and data were collected through established scales and measures. Structural equation modelling was used to test the developed model. Findings All the developed hypotheses were accepted. All the antecedents negatively affect attitudes towards counterfeit luxury products. At the same time, attitude has a positive effect on purchase intention. The results are consistent with those of earlier studies. Research limitations/implications Samples were gathered from just a single region in southwest China, which limits the generalisability of the discoveries. As past research in fake goods buying has done, future investigations relating to this situation in the domain of ethical reasoning should accumulate samples from other regions of China as well, as customer perception relating to profound morality and counterfeit Purchase Intention may change from region to region. Practical implications A few customers hold the opinion that luxury brands are lucrative because of the excessive costs of their products and therefore feel vindicated in buying counterfeits (Penz and Stottinger, 2005). Combatting this conviction requires luxury brand managers to endorse effective moral ideals and social commitment messages to prevail upon purchasers. Social implications A few customers trust that they are helping local people, such as the peddlers who offer the fakes or the producers who make these goods, suggesting in a way that a few individuals have positive attitudes towards these type of counterfeit goods sold locally. For such customers, there can be marketing messages that can show them the other side of the issue, such as the lost sales and loss caused to the organisations, which result in people becoming jobless because of their actions. Originality/value The primary goal of the study is to explore the relationship between the moral measurements of consumers and their attitudes and purchase intentions in the Chinese market.

Gas chromatography (GC) is a gold standard technique used in forensic laboratories, including for the characterization of counterfeit medicines. When coupled simultaneously to flame ionization (FID) and mass detector (MS) allow the identification and quantification of medicines and drugs employing a single method, besides permitting the application of chemometric tools for forensic intelligence purposes. Here is presented a pilot project that developed and applied a qualitative method for the analysis of counterfeit medicines comprised by amphetamine-type stimulants and antidepressants, through a simple extraction procedure followed by GC-FID/MS analysis, with application of exploratory tools by Hierarchical Cluster Analysis (HCA) and Principal Component Analysis (PCA). The main purpose was to identify similarities between the all compounds detected in the irregular medicines allowing the traceability of illicit producers with the creation of a common data base. Through the analyses it was verified that different producers of counterfeit medicines labeled as Sibutramine, added a mixture of Caffeine and Benzocaine in their formulation, respecting the same ratio of 2.2:1. HCA was able to confirm these results, showing the presence of both falsifications in the same cluster, representing the best tool to identify similar characteristics among the samples – when compared to PCA. Other interesting finding was the use of Fluoxetine as a falsification of counterfeit medicines labeled as Sibutramine and Diethylpropion. Another seized sample labeled as “Nobesio Forte”, marketed as a mix of stimulants, showed only Caffeine and Lidocaine in its formulation. The pilot project applied primarily to 45 samples of counterfeit medicines containing amphetamine-type stimulants and antidepressants, showed the capability of perform the chemical profiling of counterfeit medicines in the solid form - powder, capsules and tablets. Further analysis can be performed for different types of medicines in solid form using the developed method, allowing the construction of a single database to perform the chemical profiling of counterfeit medicines, enabling the traceability of illicit producers.

In order to improve the luminescent stability of water-based anti-counterfeit ink, a new fluorescent material is prepared by doping dye into silica nanoparticles. Water soluble anionic dye 1, 3, 6, 8-pyrenesulfonic acid sodium salt (PTSA) is selected as the dopant. In this work, PTSA is successfully trapped into silica nanoparticles (SiNPs) by the reverse microemulsion method using cationic polyelectrolyte poly (dimethyl diallyl ammonium chloride; PDADMAC) as a bridge. The UV absorption spectra, fluorescence emission spectra and fluorescent decay curves are used to describe the luminescent properties of the PTSA-doped silica nanoparticles (PTSA-SiNPs). In addition, the as-prepared PTSA-SiNPs and polyurethane waterborne emulsion are used to prepare water-based anti-counterfeit ink, and fluorescent patterns are successfully printed through screen-printing. The samples printed by the ink exhibit desirable fluorescence properties, heat stability, robust photostability, and a fluorescent anti-counterfeit effect, which makes the PTSA-SiNPs promising luminescent materials for anti-counterfeit applications.

The paper reports on the results of biological examination of downy shawls conducted to identify counterfeit items branded as Orenburg Downy Shawls. Analysis was based on morphological comparison of downy hairs from questioned shawls with known authentic samples of downy hairs from goats of the Orenburg breed.

Abstract Hypericum perforatum L. is the most commonly used herb for treating depression. Due to the popularity of this botanical, there is a potential for economically driven adulteration of St. John's wort (SJW) products. The goal of this study was to investigate SJW ingredients suspected to be adulterated based on simple preliminary HPTLC tests. Commercial samples were analyzed by HPTLC following the United States Pharmacopeia (USP) monograph methodology, with additional visualization under white light. A number of these samples presented odd methanolic solution colors and unconventional HPTLC fingerprints, suggesting the presence of other species and/or extraneous polar additives. To achieve identification and separation of the polar additives, a new reversed-phase HPTLC method was developed. The adulterants were identified as synthetic dyes in the amounts of 0.51 to 1.36% by weight. Identities of the dyes were confirmed by scanning densitometry and HPTLC-MS. A modified USP method with additional detection mode permitted the identification of eight SJW samples adulterated with dyes and six others with flavonoid fingerprints different from those specified by USP from a total of 37 samples of dry extracts, finished products, and bulk raw herb. A decision flowchart is proposed to guide the detection of adulteration of SJW in a systematic fashion.

Product tampering and product counterfeiting are increasing the need for methods to quickly determine product authenticity. One of the concepts that we are investigating for the detection of counterfeit objects involves the use of pattern recognition techniques to analyze multivariant data acquired from properties intrinsic to the object. The near-infrared reflectance spectra of currency and other paper stock were used as a test system. The sample population consisted of authentic currency, circulated and uncirculated, and cotton and rag paper stock as stand-ins for counterfeit currency. Reflectance spectra were obtained from a spot that was essentially void of printing on both sides of the currency specimens. Although the reflectance spectra for all of the samples were very similar, principal component analysis separated the samples into distinct classes without there being any prior knowledge of their chemical or physical properties. Class separation was achieved even for currency bills that differed only in their past environment. Leave-One-Out procedures resulted in 100% correct classification of each member of the sample set. A K-Nearest-Neighbor test or a linear discriminate can be used to correctly classify unknown samples.

Ce projet de maitrise implique le développement et l’optimisation de deux méthodes utilisant la chromatographie liquide à haute performance couplée à la spectrométrie de masse en tandem (HPLC-MS/MS). L'objectif du premier projet était de séparer le plus rapidement possible, simultanément, 71 médicaments traitant la dysfonction érectile (ED) et 11 ingrédients naturels parfois retrouvés avec ces médicaments dans les échantillons suspectés d’être adultérés ou contrefaits. L'objectif du deuxième projet était de développer une méthode de dépistage permettant l'analyse rapide simultanée de 24 cannabinoïdes synthétiques et naturels pour une grande variété d'échantillons tels que les mélanges à base de plantes, des bâtons d'encens, de sérums et de cannabis. Dans les deux projets, la séparation a été réalisée en moins de 10 min et cela en utilisant une colonne C18 à noyau solide 100 x 2,1 mm avec des particules de 2,6 µm de diamètre couplée à un système MS avec trappe ionique orbitale fonctionnant en électronébulisation positive. En raison du nombre élevé de composés dans les deux méthodes et de l’émergence de nouveaux analogues sur le marché qui pourraient être présents dans les échantillons futurs, une méthode de dépistage LC-MS/MS ciblée/non-ciblée a été développée. Pour les deux projets, les limites de détection étaient sous les ng/mL et la variation de la précision et de l’exactitude étaient inférieures de 10,5%. Le taux de recouvrement à partir des échantillons réels variait entre 92 à 111%. L’innovation des méthodes LC-MS/MS développées au cours des projets est que le spectre de masse obtenu en mode balayage lors de l'acquisition, fournit une masse exacte pour tous les composés détectés et permet l'identification des composés initialement non-ciblés, comme des nouveaux analogues. Cette innovation amène une dimension supplémentaire aux méthodes traditionnellement utilisées, en permettant une analyse à haute résolution sur la masse de composés non-ciblés.
This master’s project involved the development and optimization of two rapid liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) methods. The objective of the first project was to simultaneously separate, as rapidly as possible, 71 erectile dysfunction (ED) treatment drugs and 11 natural ingredients sometimes found alongside ED drugs present in suspected adulterated or counterfeit samples. The objective of the second project was to develop a screening method allowing rapid, simultaneous analysis of 24 synthetic and natural cannabinoids for a wide variety of samples such as herbal smoking mixtures, incense sticks, serums and Cannabis plant material. In both projects, the separations were achieved in ≤ 10 min using 2.6 µm fused-core C18 particles packed into a 100 x 2.1 mm column coupled to an LTQ Orbitrap XL mass spectrometer operated in positive electrospray mode. Because of the very high number of compounds in both methods and the knowledge that future analogues are always immerging on the market that could thus be present in samples, a targeted/untargeted LC-MS/MS screening method was developed. For both projects, detection limits were in the sub ng/mL range and intra- and inter-assay precisions were below 10.5%. Recovery from real samples ranged from 92 to 111%. The innovation of the developed LC-MS/MS methods is that the full scan event in the MS acquisition provides accurate masses for all detected species and thus allows post-analysis identification of initially untargeted compounds, i.e., the immerging analogues. This innovation adds an additional dimension to traditional MS/MS methods, allowing high mass resolution of untargeted compounds.

Abstract It is known by both the commercial and government suppliers, one of the best ways to guarantee the security and reliability of IC's is to image the IC directly using an x-ray microscope. These images can be inspected for many signs of counterfeit electronics. Unfortunately, previous generations of x-ray imaging systems have not kept up with the increasingly sophisticated counterfeiting techniques. Traditional 2D X-ray inspection techniques are becoming inadequate for imaging and verifying features due to the limited resolution of these systems for thick samples and because 2D images contain too many overlapping features to easily discern, making identification very difficult. This paper discusses the development of advanced sample preparation techniques for counterfeit IC detection. It presents information on the limitations of X-ray imaging and 3D tomographic reconstruction, and on the models for resolution configuration improvement.

Abstract Possible methods for counterfeit electronic part detection can be classified into two main categories: physical inspection and electrical testing. The physical inspection techniques can potentially be extended to different integrated circuit (IC) types; however, there are some challenges. The major contribution of this paper is to tackle these issues by introducing and optimizing two novel three and four dimensional imaging techniques that can provide us with the necessary information on interior and exterior geometry along with the material composition for the parts under test: four-dimensional scanning electron microscopy and dual energy 3D x-ray microscopy. In this study, advanced image processing and image analysis tools are utilized to establish a more consistent and accurate image perception. Inconsistencies within the samples and their defects are also used as an alternative to having a golden IC. However, the final decision has further been validated using results from five known authentic samples.

Abstract One of the biggest problems in the integrated circuit industry as of late has been counterfeiting. Because the counterfeiting process is still quite crude in its nature, visual inspection has become a cornerstone process. This paper discusses the significance of the documentation post decapsulation during internal visual inspection. In order to properly inspect for counterfeit components, it is critical to understand that one inspection method alone will not provide enough information to detect all counterfeits. Proper counterfeit detection involves detailed inspection of multiple aspects of a component in order to gather as much information as possible, so that each component can be successfully labeled counterfeit or authentic. A collaboration of multiple inspection processes, comparison of data amongst sample testing batch, comparison to "known good/golden sample" when possible, and documentation of findings results in the highest confidence level of authenticity of counterfeit labeling of components.