Fake drugs kill 1 million people every year. And with anti-counterfeiting regulations widely neglected, damage for brands and consumers is growing.

Counterfeiting medication is very profitable for criminals. They take advantage of the good reputation of products and brands that the original manufacturer established through its consistently high-quality products. Fraudsters are only interested in producing what looks like an exact copy, and do not care about the quality and effectiveness of the contents. In many countries, the risk of getting caught and punished for selling fake medicines is relatively low. So counterfeiting medication can be more lucrative than selling illegal drugs. However, the structures are comparable to those in organized crime.