Fake prescription drugs are flooding the United States

Three counterfeit prescription drugs have reached the shelves of American pharmacies and in some cases have been given to patients. Some phials contained cheap generic versions of the drugs named on the packaging; others contained liquids with no active ingredients.

The drugs involved, all three of which are injectable, are filgrastim (Neupogen), an anticancer drug sold by Amgen; and two versions of the human growth hormone somatropin, Serostim, made by Serono, and Nutropin, which is sold by Genentech.

Genentech issued a warning to patients, physicians, pharmacies, and wholesalers that the counterfeit drug may …