Parkinson’s disease medicines can be  expensive and the financial impact can be devastating in the long term, especially if health insurance is an issue. It is not uncommon for any chronic disease sufferer to seek alternate sources, especially if the more expensive branded medicine may be available at a cheaper rate.

However, the possibility should be kept in mind that the drug obtained from such sources is cheaper because it is a counterfeit or fake. This could mean that it may not have all the necessary ingredients, the proportions may be wrong, or it may contain harmful substances. In spite of taking the drugs as prescribed by the doctor, the patient may have slow or no improvement at all or may even deteriorate drastically.

Counterfeit and Cheap Parkinson’s Medicines

• Buying drugs from foreign sources may be cheaper but you can never be sure about the quality or efficacy of such drugs. Local government regulations may be significantly different from your country of origin and counterfeit drugs are not monitored for quality control.

• Cheaper drugs may actually be counterfeit, fake, or adulterated drugs, where useless or toxic substances could be substituted for the actual ingredients. Rather speak to your doctor about generics if you cannot afford your current drug regimen.

• Parkinson’s disease patients are heavily dependent upon their medicines to control their symptoms. Even a slight amount of dose alteration can produce severe fluctuations in their symptoms. With counterfeit medicines, you can never be sure about the exact composition of the drug, which can play havoc with the patient’s system. Either too little or too much of the active ingredient can be equally harmful.

• With tampering of the drug, unknown substances may be present in the drug, the effects of which can be dangerous. This can cause drug interactions with your regular PD medicines or other medication.

• There may be no improvement in a patient’s symptoms where previously there was good control of symptoms. Side effects and even an overdose is a possibility.

• New complications may arise which were not present earlier.

• Foreign drugs may contain substances which have not been approved as being safe or effective within your country of residence.

• It is illegal to bring in such drugs into the country and in case of any problem arising from the use of such drugs you will not have recourse to any corrective action.

• In the event that these drugs contain illicit substances, you may be convicted for the possession of narcotic substances.

Buying Cheap or Counterfeit PD Drugs

You may inadvertently acquire counterfeit drugs by :

• Ordering drugs from an online agency/pharmacy (over the internet).
• Buying drugs while holidaying overseas.
• Acquiring drugs from the local “black market”.
• Genuine but stolen drugs which are altered and then sold back into the distribution system.
• Genuine but expired drugs which are sold after re-packaging and changing the expiry date.
• Genuine drugs acquired from patients have got them free and sold them for a minimum price.
• Pharmacies may unknowingly keep counterfeit drugs supplied by dishonest wholesalers.

How to Avoid Using Counterfeit Drugs

While it may seem obvious, many consumers buy fake drugs unknowingly. These are some of the measures to ensure that you are only using genuine PD drugs as prescribed by your doctor.

• Avoiding buying medicines from doubtful online agencies.
• Buy medicines from reputable pharmacies.
• Be alert while buying medicines, taking care to look at the packaging and expiry dates.
• Being aware about the shape, color, size or other characteristics of medicines which are taken regularly.
• Avoiding buying medicines from foreign sources. Carry extra medicines while holidaying abroad and in the event that you need to acquire more medication, visit a reputable pharmacy in the area.