Avery Dennison research analyzes counterfeit crisis in medicine

A new survey reveals widespread concern among respondents about counterfeit medication, with six in 10 worried their prescribed drugs might be fake or substandard. Commissioned by Avery Dennison, the survey collates the views of 5,000 respondents who regularly take prescribed medication in the USA, UK, France, and Germany.

The findings reveal slight regional variations in concerns and expectations. Almost two thirds (63%) of American respondents report anxiety about counterfeit medication, compared with over half (57%) of French respondents. When analyzed as a subset, online pharmacy users show higher levels of unease, with 70% across all countries expressing worry about counterfeit medication. 

When ordering medication online, the most-cited worry was “the risk of receiving substandard or counterfeit products” (selected by 41% when respondents were asked to “select all that apply”). This figure rose to 45% among American and British respondents. 

Online pharmacy website legitimacy was the second-biggest worry (cited by 34%), although sentiment varies significantly by market, rising to 39% of American respondents and 40% in the UK. French and German respondents are slightly more trusting of online pharmacies, with 30% and 21%, respectively, saying they are concerned.

Digital solutions

As counterfeiters become increasingly sophisticated in their attempts to sell inauthentic medicines and infiltrate supply chains, technologies such as Radio-Frequency Identification (RFID) and Near-Field Communication (NFC) play an important role. Intelligent RFID and NFC labeling can help make medicines traceable, verifiable, and connected. This combats counterfeit medicines, helping to ensure patient safety and trust from source to patient.

Survey results indicate a clear demand for greater control and assurance. The majority of respondents (83%) see value in smartphone-based authentication technology on packaging to verify medication authenticity at the point of use. The research also reveals generational differences, with younger respondents (30-39 years) showing stronger interest in obtaining information on how to take their medication using their digital device (89%) compared to those aged 70-79 (65%). However, the data points to a clear market expectation – respondents want pharmaceutical companies to provide simple, on-pack authenticity checks that address counterfeit concerns at the point of sale. 

Additionally, 82% of respondents expressed interest in digital guidance on how to correctly take their medicine via smartphone solutions, with two in five (40%) rating this capability as “extremely valuable.”

Assessing supply chains

The findings come as counterfeit medications increasingly infiltrate legitimate supply chains. The FDA recently warned consumers about fake Ozempic found in the US drug supply, while a US TradeRepresentative report stated that 96% of the world’s estimated 35,000 online pharmacies operate illegally, with reports suggesting around 20 new illegal pharmacy websites are created daily.

“People are understandably seeking greater confidence in the medicines they take. Our research shows they’re ready for technology that verifies authenticity and provides helpful information directly from the product itself,” says Barbara van Rymenam, senior director, Healthcare, Avery Dennison. “Digital product identification can transform how patients interact with their medications, building trust while enabling pharmaceutical companies to protect their brands and, most importantly, help safeguard patients from the very real threat of counterfeits.”

The complete survey findings and insights are available in Avery Dennison’s new report, The Patient Trust Gap: How Fear of Counterfeit Drugs Is Changing Patient Preferences, which can be downloaded here.