Fake Mabthera: Invima alert on drug used for rheumatoid arthritis

The National Institute for Drug and Food Surveillance (Invima) reported information about a drug used for rheumatoid arthritis that is allegedly counterfeit and sold under the name Mabthera. What is the health authority's alert about?

Through a statement displayed on its official website, Invima mentioned that the "MABTHERA VIAL 500 mg/50mL LOT N7747 expiration date 10-2026 and manufacturing date 10-2023" is a product that can affect the health of Colombians, unlike the genuine product that has a current health registration. The discovery occurred within the framework of a comparison where some visual features could be observed that do not confirm its authenticity, such as:

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1- Graphic design. 2- Spelling errors in the text. 3- Differences in the printing quality and colors of the pharmaceutical company's logo.

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4- A barcode that appears in a different location. 5- Labels with edges, dimensions, and aesthetic sizes that differ from the original packaging.

"On several occasions, Invima has warned about the risks that this type of product poses to the health of those who use it, which gives rise to false expectations about the true nature, origin, composition, or quality of the product," they stated.

What other products are consumers on alert for?

Invima also added a report on the León Vannier homeopathic medicines and the homeopathic product "magistral formula," which do not have the corresponding authorization. Similarly, some lack sanitary registration and therefore their commercialization is illegal. "It is pertinent to indicate that the aforementioned products do not correspond to any homeopathic medicine authorized by the Invima Directorate of Medicines and Biological Products," the entity clarified. (See more: The 4 apps you should uninstall from your cell phone to protect your bank accounts.) If a person were to consume them, they could face certain health risks, such as sleep disorders, increased blood circulation, potential fluid retention, organ damage, and, of course, poisoning.