FDA: Baltimore Pharmacies Selling Expired and Counterfeit Drugs

Consumer Affairs
August 12, 2008

Fake prescriptions could have bad effects on users' health

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) warns consumers who recently filled prescriptions at two Medicine Shoppes in Baltimore they may have received expired or counterfeit drugs.

The FDA is especially worried because the drugs in question are taken for serious illnesses and could have adverse effects on patients' treatments.

The Medicine Shoppes in question are located at 8035A Liberty Road and 5900 Reisterstown Road in Baltimore.

FDA officials say the suspected prescriptions were for the following medications:

• Lisinopril (20 milligrams)

• Guaifenesin/Dextromethorphan (600 mg and 1000 mg)

• Gabapentin (100 mg, 300 mg and 400 mg)

• Metoprolol (50 mg)

• Nifedipine (30 mg)

• Diclofenac Sodium (30 mg)

• Glucophage (500 mg Extended Release)

• Glucovance (125 mg and 500 mg)

• Glipizide/Metformin (2.50 mg/250 mg)

• Furosemide (20 mg)

• Tamoxifen Citrate (10 mg)

• Metformin HCl ER (500 mg)

• Calcitrol (0.25 micrograms)

The FDA said only those two Medicine Shoppe pharmacies are involved in this problem.

Consumers who had prescriptions filled by those pharmacies -- for these specific medications -- should contact their doctors for new prescriptions. They should also call the FDA for information on how to dispose of those drugs. The number is 800-521-5783.

To report adverse reactions from any medications, consumers and health care professionals should contact the FDA's MedWatch program at 800-FDA-1088. They can also report any problems on the FDA's MedWatch Web site.

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