12.6 Avastin alert

[Above: Counterfeit Avastin, found in the US, with label in French]

News from Oct, 2101 reported the use of fake Avsatin for the treatment of AMD in China, now the fake version is found in the US. Everyone should be on the lookout. We hope the crooks are caught quickly and punished severely.

2010 news:

[Seeking Alpha] - "Shanghai Roche Pharma, the first China JV set up by Roche (RHHBY.PK), officially announced on its website that its cancer treatment Avastin has been approved for sale in China. The announcement comes after Avastin received negative publicity in China. Apparently, a fake version of Avastin caused adverse reactions in 61 patients at Shanghai No. 1 People's Hospital.

"...Officially, Avastin is not yet available in China, but almost 1,000 people have received the drug as a treatment for macular degeneration, an eye disease that leads to blindness. Avastin in approved for this indication in the West, where it has been very effective. However, in China, Avastin is approved only for treatment of metastatic colorectal cancer, the initial indication in the West as well.

"At Shanghai No. 1, it was given to 116 patients, which means that over half of the group experienced pain, red eyes and unclear vision.

"No one can explain how a drug that is not officially available is being used so widely – the macular deterioration procedure has been performed in over 30 hospitals. Although one group experienced a high percentage of adverse reactions, the other patients did not report similar difficulty. Not everyone believes that all the administered drug was fake, and even if it was, they question how the counterfeit drug was introduced into China’s healthcare system."

Today:

WASHINGTON (AP) – The maker of the best-selling cancer drug Avastin is warning doctors and patients about counterfeit vials of the product distributed in the U.S.

"Roche said any patient taking Avastin who experiences side effects should contact their doctor immediately.

"The counterfeit products do not have "Genentech" printed on their packaging, which appears on all FDA-approved cartons and vials of the drug. Additionally, legitimate Avastin contains a six-digit lot number with no letters. All the text on the product's packaging is in English.

"The company believes drugs labeled with the following lot numbers may be fake: B86017, B6011 and B6010."