Israel is among the world's ten worst countries in terms of counterfeit drugs, as it is ranked eighth.
It is estimated that 1 out of every 100 Israelis buys counterfeit drugs, knowingly or unknowingly.
The most widely sold counterfeit drug in Israel is a fake version of Pfizer's impotence treatment Viagra.
The figures are based on a study by pharmaceutical giant Pfizer and Pfizer Israel.
According to the company, between 2007-2009, Israeli authorities reported that they had 438,410 pills identified by Pfizer as fake Viagra. This was only based on reported cases. According to CMPI - Center for Medicines in the Public Interest, if real steps are not taken to deal with the situation, the value of counterfeit medicines sold will reach $75 billion worldwide by the end of 2010.
Recent media reports of seizures of counterfeit drugs show a range of medicines, including those to treat malaria, tuberculosis, and anxiety, as well diet drugs and antibiotics.
Published by Globes [online], Israel business news - www.globes-online.com - on September 15, 2010
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