Recognizing Counterfeits

While the U.S. drug supply is still the safest in the world, pharmacists recommend that consumers should be particularly careful about their medications given the recent rise in counterfeiting.

What are counterfeit medications?

A counterfeit medication is a fake medication. It may not have the right medication, ingredients, or amount of medication in the product you receive. Counterfeit medications may have passed the designated expiration date. Additionally, the medication may not have been manufactured under safe conditions and properly stored.

Talk to your pharmacist if your medication:

• is different than you've experienced before in shape, color, taste, smell, or feel
• is packaged differently
• does not produce the expected or usual results
• is causing you to feel differently or have new side effects.

Be extremely careful when ordering medications online.

To stay safe, only buy medications from pharmacy websites that post the National Association of Boards of Pharmacy's Verified Internet Pharmacy Practice Sites (VIPPS) symbol.

See also:

AHFS® Patient Medication Information is used with permission. ©2025, the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists, Inc. (ASHP). The ASHP Data is a part of the AHFS Drug Information®️; ASHP is not responsible for the accuracy of transpositions from the original context.