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426.016 packs of illegal medicines were withdrawn from circulation by Europol during one operation alone between April and November 2024. The idea that medicines could be counterfeit is a strange one. However, according to WHO estimates, around one in ten medicines, especially in poorer countries, is an illegal reproduction or of inferior quality – with all the health risks associated with improperly manufactured products. Many contain the wrong active ingredients, too few or none at all. Others may contain harmful substances that have been added to the contents of the pills or ampoules. While this rate is significantly lower in wealthier countries and especially in the EU, the almost half a million packages, four tonnes of raw material and over 170,000 ampoules worth around 11 million euros that were confiscated show that Europe is not an island either.

The European Medicines Verification System, which is implemented in the Grand Duchy by the Luxembourg Medicines Verification Organisation, aims to prevent the sale of such potentially dangerous substances. Similar to foodstuffs, numerical and QR codes make it possible to precisely trace the origin and transport route of the products. If these are missing or the seal is broken, caution is advised. In physical pharmacies, this is checked as standard, but counterfeits can get through the net, especially when buying online on unverified platforms. So what to look out for when buying online?