Falsified vardenafil tablets available online

Area of Science:

• Pharmaceutical Sciences
• Analytical Chemistry
• Medicinal Chemistry

Background:

• Falsified medicines pose significant health risks to patients globally.
• The internet is a common source for counterfeit pharmaceutical products, including erectile dysfunction medications.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the quality and authenticity of vardenafil tablets purchased online.
• To identify the prevalence of falsified vardenafil products available through e-commerce.

Main Methods:

• Procurement of 28 vardenafil samples from 15 internet websites in April 2015.
• Authenticity assessment using visual inspection, non-destructive spectroscopy (NIR, Raman), and quality control tests (active ingredient content, dissolution rate).
• Comparison with genuine vardenafil (Levitra) and control tablets from Bayer AG.

Main Results:

• 40% (11/28) of the purchased vardenafil tablets were genuine, while 60% (17/28) were falsified.
• Spectroscopic analysis (NIR, Raman) differentiated genuine from falsified products, with variations observed among counterfeit samples.
• Falsified tablets were of poor quality and contained sildenafil or tadalafil instead of vardenafil.

Conclusions:

• Falsified vardenafil tablets are widely distributed via the internet.
• The study highlights the critical need to combat illegal online drug sales and enhance consumer awareness regarding counterfeit medicines.