Beware of fakes: fake Botox seized in Ukraine

6.05.2014 on the website of the State Service of Ukraine for Medicinal Products appeared Order No. 6406-1.2/2.0/17-15 dated 06.05.2015 on a ban on the sale, storage and use of the drug BOTOX® (BOTOX®) produced by "Allergan Pharmaseuticals Ireland" on the basis of confirmation by the representative office of "Europharma AG" in Ukraine of the fact of falsification.

According to this regulation, the C3498 C3 series of the drug BOTOX®/BOTOX® is prohibited from sale, storage and use. Botulinum toxin type A complex, powder for injection, 100 units, which has signs of falsification in terms of "Packaging" and "Labeling".

In addition, the entities involved in the sale, storage and use of this drug should immediately check the availability of this drug, take measures to withdraw it from circulation by destruction and notify the territorial body of the State Drug Service of the fulfillment of the requirements of Order No. 6406-1.2 / 2.0/17-15.

What is the danger of fake Botox

The design of ampoules, boxes and packages with the drug almost exactly copies the design of the branded drug Botox. This greatly increases the risk that a fake drug with unpredictable consequences may be administered to patients of beauty parlors and clinics.

Estet-portal has similar concerns. In recent days, our editors have received a lot of questions from concerned users of this drug.

However, after carefully studying the design of fakes and the real drug, several differences were still possible.

How to distinguish the prohibited series C3498 C3 of the BOTOX® drug; from the original drug

• linear gap between "Batch #:", "Date of Manufacture:", "Best before:" counterfeit data is 2 mm, while in the original sample the specified gap is 1.2 mm

• inner paper insert does not contain the identification number that is present in the original sample

• bottle size mismatch: height – 4.9 cm (in the original sample it is – 4.1 cm), width – 2.1 cm (original sample is 2.5 cm)

• The bottle cap is silvery white and unlabeled, while the original bottle cap is purple with "ALLERGAN® 100u" written on it

• the series number is not indicated on the vial cap (the original sample has it on the vial cap)
• absence of a protective hologram on the bottle label, which is present in the original sample
• white color of the bottle label (in the original sample, the color of the bottle label is slightly pearlescent).

When purchasing a drug, be careful and pay great attention to details, because the most harmless complication from the introduction of a fake – is the lack of effect. And the most unpleasant – infectious complication.