Counterfeit Trends Brand Protection Teams Should Be Watching in 2026
Counterfeit medicines did not slow down in 2025. They evolved. Law enforcement continues to make record seizures, illegal online pharmacies keep multiplying, and the surge in GLP-1 demand has created one of the most attractive targets counterfeiters have ever had (Interpol Operation Pangea). For brand protection teams, this means 2026 requires faster decision making, stronger field visibility, and practical tools that help protect both brands and patients.
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- The GLP-1 Market Is Still the Biggest Counterfeit Target
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GLP-1 drugs such as Ozempic, Wegovy, Mounjaro, and Zepbound reshaped healthcare conversations in 2024 and 2025. At the same time, they also became a major focus for counterfeiters and illegal distributors (FDA Warning on Counterfeit Semaglutide). Regulators and investigators continue warning about real patient safety risks, including harmful outcomes when non legitimate versions are used (BBC coverage).
With oral GLP-1 pills entering the market, the challenge expands further. Tablets are easier to move through shipping channels, easier to mix in bulk, and many consumers view them as less risky. This only increases the need for monitoring and fast identification.
What this means for brand protection:
- GLP-1 products deserve a dedicated risk strategy
- Fake pill packaging is likely to appear rapidly
- Monitoring must include social platforms, wellness storefronts, and nontraditional online pharmacy models
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- Counterfeit Networks Are Growing Through Digital Channels
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Counterfeit medicines are not only moving through back channels anymore. Many are organized, technology driven operations. Investigations continue to uncover large cross border networks and illegal online pharmacy ecosystems (U.S. DOJ Enforcement Reports), along with major global enforcement campaigns targeting distribution at scale (Interpol).
For brand protection teams, online visibility is now essential. Listings return quickly after takedowns. Influencers, search platforms, and social commerce all play a role in how counterfeit products reach consumers.
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- Serialization Remains Important, But It Cannot Be the Only Defense
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Serialization and QR programs have been important advances. They help improve transparency and supply chain control. However, visible codes can still be photographed, duplicated, or reapplied. Industry experts have already highlighted how counterfeiters are adapting to these systems (Industry Analysis).
The takeaway is straightforward. Serialization remains critical, but it should be viewed as one layer in a broader protection strategy.
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- AI Is MovingFromConcept to Daily Brand Protection Practice
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The biggest change for 2026 is the role of artificial intelligence. AI is no longer something theoretical in brand protection conversations. It is becoming a practical, everyday part of how organizations identify risk, authenticate products, and respond to emerging threats.
AI powered authentication can analyze subtle details in packaging and product design that are extremely difficult for counterfeiters to replicate. This can be done through smartphone images, which means it can work on products that are already in the field (TrueMed AI Authentication).
AI is also helping teams:
- Identify earlier warning signs of new risks
- Understand where problems are building geographically
- Connect digital activity with real world outcomes
- Respond faster when a threat appears
It also helps during enforcement. AI allows teams to prioritize real threats, support investigations, and provide stronger evidence for regulators and law enforcement (McKinsey AI Risk Insights).
TrueMed supports this direction by enabling AI authentication without requiring packaging redesigns or manufacturing changes. It strengthens intelligence with every scan and helps protect products that are already in circulation (TrueMed).
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- What Experts and Regulators Continue to Emphasize
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In almost every major discussion about counterfeit medicines in 2025, whether from regulators, healthcare professionals, brand protection leaders, or law enforcement, the same messages continued to appear. Counterfeiting is no longer a fringe activity run by a few small operations. It is organized, financially driven, technology enabled, and increasingly difficult for patients and even healthcare professionals to spot without help. Regulators continue to stress that misinformation, misleading online promotions, and non legitimate distribution channels are creating real patient risk (FDA Commentary).
Another consistent theme is responsibility. Regulators are placing clearer expectations on manufacturers and brand owners to actively protect their products. It is no longer enough to simply comply with basic serialization rules and assume the risk ends there. Agencies and legal analysts are pointing out that best practice now includes stronger authentication programs, better consumer education, and active monitoring of online and offline markets. Organizations that take these steps are seeing faster detection of problems, fewer incidents, and stronger trust with healthcare systems and consumers.
Healthcare professionals are also speaking more directly about the issue. Physicians and pharmacists are reporting growing concern about patient confidence, particularly around high demand therapies such as GLP 1 medicines. Many clinicians are asking manufacturers to provide clearer ways to verify products, easier reporting paths, and better communication tools that help educate patients about risk without causing unnecessary fear. When authentication is simple and practical, it builds confidence rather than anxiety, which is exactly what the market needs right now.
Law enforcement and international agencies continue to emphasize collaboration. Counterfeit operations rarely exist within one country anymore. They move through multiple regions, online networks, and complex distribution chains. Brand owners who share intelligence, participate in coordinated enforcement efforts, and build relationships with regulators and investigative bodies tend to close cases faster and reduce repeat activity. The message is clear. This problem requires coordination, not isolated efforts.
All of this reinforces a simple conclusion. Counterfeiting is not only a manufacturing or packaging problem. It is a patient safety issue, a brand trust issue, and a regulatory expectation. The brands that do best are the ones that take the topic seriously, invest in meaningful authentication capabilities, and communicate clearly with the people who rely on their products.