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MarkMonitor Chief Marketing Officer Fred Felman on the risks that many common products and pharmaceuticals that consumers buy regularly are fake.
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In focus tonight the dangers of counter -- there's a good chance one of the many household products you use every single day could be -- to take.
And I'm not talking about just phony designer handbags that watches electronics.
Even prescription drugs Fred Feldman is the chief marketing officer for brand protection firm.
Mark monitor Fred welcome to the show what is the biggest misconception.
At about this counter fitting out there.
I think one of the mid biggest misconceptions is how often this happens and how common it is if -- gave people surf online they're looking for legitimate goods -- shopping for bargains.
And what they find are counterfeit goods.
You know I see that counterfeit pharmaceuticals for example up 200%.
In 2011 I mean there's a huge increase.
And an a proportion of goods that are simply fake.
Should be worried about getting fake drugs at the doctor's office.
What has happened -- that the doctor's office and in certain cases where.
You know where people were looking for good deals on pharmaceuticals are looking to cut costs especially on some more expensive pharmaceutical drugs and if they've search for them online.
And it has happened that way but.
Most likely come.
Doctors who are legitimate are -- source their goods from from legitimate.
Pharmaceutical distributors so it's it's it's in narrow problem there.
We're really becomes a problem though is where people are trying to find a good deal on their on their prescriptions they search for for cheap.
You know and plus the name of that the drug that they're looking for and what they find -- is something that's not the legitimate kid.
Probably shopping online to how dangerous is that I got I assume can you diet and you get sick -- what would happen if you took one of these fake drugs.
Well they're all kinds of incidences of this where the you know that big the ingredients of the -- drug are actually inert.
Or contain dangerous chemical like road -- -- I don't know lots of incidences of this it's it's kind of terrible.
And but it's not just drugs that you have you know -- -- health risk for health and safety risks you know abound you mentioned some other goods and services categories out there for example.
You know a battery could exploding near her cellphone -- your computer and cause you know risk -- -- There could be led -- in the in the counterfeit jewelry that you purchased that's your resting on your skin all day long so.
Every type of good actually carries some risks -- it's counterfeit not from the brand you trust.
A couple of drugs to mention here at counterfeit versions of the cancer drug at -- found in some doctors' offices there was a reported that in April and then.
There's an eighty HT drug at a role which I think our viewers might be familiar with -- been fake versions of that too.
So how we know that I'm getting something with a -- -- watch out for if I'm worried about fake goods of any sort.
Well I think you should really be careful about where you shop if you use you know in a search term on one of the major search sites -- use a search term like cheaper -- For discount you're very likely to find -- counterfeit site in the set of results that you see.
So when you can do instead is you can go to -- you know reputable sources for four -- less expensive products for example.
Some of the drug companies will actually subsidize drugs if you can't afford them see you can look for programs like that if you do have difficulty affording.
You know your medications.
You can go to legitimate wholesalers and discounters have drugs you know of brands that you know of -- it was a you know and start there.
Because then you know that you're going to -- -- the good from from a business and.
And sometimes the dock your doctor will help you with that as a way as well you say watch out for the price watch out for the site.
The reputation and of course you say search carefully what's one thing I can do.
To try to get a real drug or a real product is opposed to a counterfeit when.
-- great when talked your doctor and also you know look for of them dips certification and if you don't know.
What have -- -- certification is its VI PP yes and basically.
That's found where -- national association of boards of pharmacies lists all the legitimate.
Our online pharmacies and you can start there.
That's a great idea.
