Hey guys, I have completely shifted the medicine purchases for all my family members online given the competitive prices and the convenience. However, we often compare the best offers from multiple sites and make our order, ignoring one critical parameter - business model. I am a potential victim of the same and thus I am writing this awareness post.
Some of the online sellers like 1mg and Apollo Pharmacy, have brick and mortar stores, or warehouses, from which they fulfill the order directly. While others have partnership based fufillment centers like Medlife, and finally, some others like PharmEasy don't own or share any fulfillment centers but rather have tie-ups with local stores to fulfill the orders. The latter are the cases of concern. Since PharmEasy acts as a point of sale, and the actual seller does not face the customer, these sellers have been extensively involved in selling fake drugs, especially expensive, regular and widespread drugs, such as for diabetes and cardiac issues.
In my case, PharmEasy was fulfilling my order (at pin 302039, heart of Jaipur) through a seller called "Sunshine Enterprises" which according to this report: http://businessnewsthisweek.com/business/jaipur... was found to be involved in selling fake life saving drugs. What's shocking is that my order was fulfilled by the same seller AFTER this expose. I'm not sure how the seller got their license back or why PharmEasy didn't severe it's ties. However, in all odds, this is just a drop in the ocean of a widespread practice.
I made a fresh order on PharmEasy, for non critical drugs of course, and found that after a recent update, the order does not mention the name of the seller. I contacted the customer care, wherein they said the order was fulfilled by some "Medidrop Pharma Private Limited", which is again non related to PharmEasy and was incorporated just months ago. Unless PharmEasy has started to sell medicines from their own stores, it makes no sense to remove the name of the actual seller from the order history.
Thus, please consider this factor while making purchases for critical drugs for your loved ones online.
bikidas2060 wrote:OkIt's not generic bhai. Manufactured by Glenmark. 😔
That's why I always go for 1mg / Apollo instead of big time fraud PharmEasy.Well being of our loved ones is more important than few bucks,can't compromise with it.
As Tata 1mg ( having LegitScript certification ) and Apollo ( having International Quality Certification) are trusted brands, a comprehensivequality control is expected!
Like lottery tickets, the Mi power bank box has a serial number hidden behind a layer. After submitting the serial, the URL throws you the Genuineness of the serial and if it was entered before.
What prevents these pharma giants from pasting a tiny sticker on life-saving drugs?
TempAcc wrote:Like lottery tickets, the Mi power bank box has a serial number hidden behind a layer. After submitting the serial, the URL throws you the Genuineness of the serial and if it was entered before.
What prevents these pharma giants from pasting a tiny sticker on life-saving drugs?
What prevents these pharma giants from pasting a tiny sticker on life-saving drugs?
nothing.but it will cost them money, they will pay 0.1% of that amount in bribes and no such order will be passed. but think if one is buying such an important drug will he have time to check the genuineness? yes is most cases, no in emergency cases. if one is in a hospital then they use their own medicines, can u guarantee that they are using genuine medicines intentionally or unintentionally?what if they are charging u for a 1000rs.medicine but giving u a generic one? this sector is so messed up in this country.
afaik as per ftc and fda rules, if even a small issue is with pharma/medicine sector they will eat u up no matter how big the company is. That is why they follow rules in the west when it comes to medicines etc.
Jarvis.-. wrote:AFAIK FK Health+ orders are processed and delivered by SastaSundar.FK has already acquired majority stake in it.how health+ deliver? anyone know? they do have local pharmacy guy tie up who deliver medicine but it come with their packet from warehouse as per that local guy, but not sure if they source medicine themselves or get from other shop
Off topic.. related query: if a medicine expiry date is mentioned as 12/2022. Does it mean it can be used till last day of december or it means that it should be used before 1st december?
MasterAnimesh wrote:
Untill there is a system to check authenticity of drugs you can't be sure even in offline purchase
Exactly
The city where i live is the castle of all fake items including medicines and supplements
And i have seen lot of medical store suplier sell offline medicines here at 15-20% easily . And if u buy in bulk then they go upto 30% . So i never use 1 mg pharmaeasy
I clearly know they sell fake medicines as it came into local newspaper several times .
They sell these medicine into online marketplace as well bcoz there is no way to check authenticity. 😶😑
FreakingAwesome wrote:Last date paji afaikOff topic.. related query: if a medicine expiry date is mentioned as 12/2022. Does it mean it can be used till last day of december or it means that it should be used before 1st december?
So that means few sellers on Pharmeasy sell fake meds?
I too frequently purchase medicines from their app but now i want to know how to differentiate between genuine and fake tablets when everything looks exactly the same?
@drjpatwa @batguy143 @romilq239
MrKool_JJ wrote:So that means few sellers on Pharmeasy sell fake meds?
I too frequently purchase medicines from their app but now i want to know how to differentiate between genuine and fake tablets when everything looks exactly the same?
@drjpatwa @batguy143 @romilq239
Just order from 1mg or Netmeds or Flipkart Health+ or Apollo pharmacy. As far as I know they have their own warehouses and store the medicines themselves. They don’t rely on third parties for medicines at least. Only some beauty products have third party sellers on their apps. As far as differentiating fake with real, it’s very difficult as they look almost identical. Just buy from genuine sources and all will be fine. These big companies won’t sell fake drugs considering the consequences it can have if they are caught. And unless you have a lab analysis done on the counterfeit drugs you can’t tell real or fake with certainty.
romilq wrote:paji in the name of same day delivery, what is happening is that abcd website ties up with xyz medicine in ur city. u said from abcd they give u bill but product comes from xyz medicine shop from ur city.i am not saying its fake or not but like someone mentioned earlier the loophole may be here.Just order from 1mg or Netmeds or Flipkart Health+ or Apollo pharmacy. As far as I know they have their own warehouses and store the medicines themselves. They don’t rely on third parties for medicines at least. Only some beauty products have third party sellers on their apps. As far as differentiating fake with real, it’s very difficult as they look almost identical. Just buy from genuine sources and all will be fine. These big companies won’t sell fake drugs considering the consequences it can have if they are caught. And unless you have a lab analysis done on the counterfeit drugs you can’t tell real or fake with certainty.
TempAcc wrote:What prevents the fakesters from pasting this tiny sticker (with same serial number from one of the original boxes on all their duplicate boxes) on their duplicate medicines??Like lottery tickets, the Mi power bank box has a serial number hidden behind a layer. After submitting the serial, the URL throws you the Genuineness of the serial and if it was entered before.
What prevents these pharma giants from pasting a tiny sticker on life-saving drugs?
santosh_blr wrote:For each duplicate copy, they'll have to buy one original product. Either on MRP or from a distributor. It will create a huge cut on their margins. If easier alternatives are available to fake, they'll not touch the complex option.
What prevents the fakesters from pasting this tiny sticker (with same serial number from one of the original boxes on all their duplicate boxes) on their duplicate medicines??
FreakingAwesome wrote:last day of that monthOff topic.. related query: if a medicine expiry date is mentioned as 12/2022. Does it mean it can be used till last day of december or it means that it should be used before 1st december?
MrKool_JJ wrote:So that means few sellers on Pharmeasy sell fake meds?
I too frequently purchase medicines from their app but now i want to know how to differentiate between genuine and fake tablets when everything looks exactly the same?
@drjpatwa @batguy143 @romilq239
No real way to know authenticity.
Everyone in my home is on regular medicines for something or other. I order most of my medicines from 1mg
These days due to 1mg restricting discounts on many medicines, have ordered few from Pharmeasy & they 'seem' authentic....but can't be sure.
But we can't be sure even for offline purchase.
Best way in my opinion is to be in regular follow up with your doctor & regular tests as advised & home monitoring of things like BP/ sugar levels, etc.
If you or your doctor notices unexpected unexplained decline even after regular medications/ treatment, try changing source/ brand of medicines.
Also if you see any change in packaging or print of any regular medicine, confirm it from your nearby medical store.
MrKool_JJ wrote:Not easy to identify fake Vs. Real.So that means few sellers on Pharmeasy sell fake meds?
I too frequently purchase medicines from their app but now i want to know how to differentiate between genuine and fake tablets when everything looks exactly the same?
@drjpatwa @batguy143 @romilq239
I've completely shifted to pharmeasy as they're the only ones who don't cancel orders midway, now I'm a bit sad to see this. Infact, there are also same cases against offline stores/pharmacies too.
I wish govt officials involved in regulatory measures actually take strict measures against fake food and medicine at atleast. Why are they unnecessarily jeopardizing our lives?
Another point is I believe this fraud is at lower level of the chain and there are lesser chances of these apps/websites to be complicit.
Thus, I wouldn't make a case against online purchases completely, but would rather suggest vigilance. Prefer Apollo or 1mg for critical drugs - there's only one middleman involved, and that's a big one. They also sell directly to consumers from the same store, so they are not faceless either.