Safety and protection for health have been on the rise like never before, especially since the Covid-19 Pandemic. The pharmaceutical industry is facing the pressure to meet the demands for measures to be put in place to safeguard the public and build immunity against the virus. To meet the demands for test supplies, equipment, and medicines remain a priority, fraudulent products continue to flood the markets during COVID-19. These fake commodities pose a real threat to examiners and consumers alike. Public health is at greater risk as counterfeit goods often don’t meet the industry’s set quality standards. The danger in such cases is usually because of inaccurate/unclear labeling or inappropriate quantities/ lack of ingredients.
The Pandemic has also led to showing an increase in people turning to the internet to self-diagnose their conditions and self-prescribing medication by purchasing products online. Through observations, it is generally noted that those who buy counterfeit goods believe they are protected against the virus, when they are in reality, unprotected, or made further vulnerable because of the content in fake medicines.
According to the latest report (June 29th, 2020) from the International Hologram Manufacturers Association (IHMA), their most recent study by a community media platform revealed that 20% of products sold on e-commerce are counterfeit. The IHMA advises brand owners and product manufacturers to be more vigilant in combating threats and strategize for advanced authentication and verification technologies to protect brands. Greater importance needs to be given to the critical need for further developing anti-counterfeiting technologies.