TrueMed

FAQ

Counterfeit Medicines FAQ

What are counterfeit medicines?
Counterfeit medicines are fake drugs that are deliberately mislabeled to appear genuine. They may contain the wrong ingredients, the wrong dose, no active ingredients, or harmful substances. Counterfeits are often designed to deceive patients, pharmacies, or regulators and pose serious health risks.
Why are counterfeit medicines dangerous?
Counterfeit drugs can lead to treatment failure, drug resistance, or even death. They often contain incorrect or toxic ingredients and may not meet any manufacturing or safety standards. Patients who unknowingly take fake medicines may experience side effects or miss critical treatment windows.
How widespread is the counterfeit drug problem?

The World Health Organization estimates that 1 in 10 medical products in low- and middle-income countries is substandard or falsified. In some regions and product categories—like lifestyle drugs, cancer medications, or injectables—the percentage is even higher.

Which types of medicines are most commonly counterfeited?

Common targets include:
- Weight-loss and diabetes drugs (e.g., Ozempic, Mounjaro)
- Oncology treatments
- Painkillers and opioids
- Antibiotics
- Erectile dysfunction drugs
- Lifestyle and beauty injectables (e.g., Botox, dermal fillers)

Can counterfeit packaging look identical to the real thing?
Yes—and that’s what makes counterfeit detection so difficult. Many fake products are nearly indistinguishable to the human eye. TrueMed is designed to detect invisible patterns and packaging anomalies that are missed by traditional inspection methods.
What is drug diversion, and how is it related to counterfeiting?
Drug diversion refers to legitimate medications being distributed outside their intended market or channel (e.g., parallel trade, black-market sales). While diverted drugs are not always counterfeit, they weaken supply chain security and often go hand-in-hand with counterfeit operations.
How is technology changing the fight against counterfeit medications?
Modern solutions like AI, mobile scanning, blockchain, and real-time reporting are making it easier for brands and regulators to:
- Detect fakes at the point of sale
- Track emerging threats across geographies
- Build enforcement cases with digital evidence
- Avoid costly product recalls and patient harm

TrueMed FAQ

Who is TrueMed?

TrueMed is an AI-powered platform for detecting counterfeit and diverted medical products using packaging and visual analysis. We help pharmaceutical companies and regulators identify fakes instantly—without changing packaging or disrupting supply chains.

How does TrueMed work?

TrueMed uses proprietary AI and computer vision technology to scan product packaging and detect subtle indicators of counterfeiting or diversion. Users can scan with a mobile device or integrate with backend systems to flag suspicious products in real time.

What types of products can TrueMed authenticate?

We support a wide range of medical products including prescription drugs, over-the-counter products, injectables, vials, and blister packs. Our models are trained to handle both flat and curved surfaces.

Where is TrueMed based?

TrueMed is headquartered in Finland with operations and deployments worldwide.

Who uses TrueMed?

We work with pharmaceutical companies, manufacturers, regulators, customs officials, and brand protection teams across the globe.

TrueMed FAQ for Brand Protection Teams

What is TrueMed and how does it support brand protection?

TrueMed is an AI-powered counterfeit detection platform designed to help pharmaceutical brand protection teams instantly identify fake and diverted medical products—without changing packaging. It strengthens enforcement, preserves brand trust, and supports global anti-counterfeiting efforts.

How does TrueMed detect counterfeit products without altering packaging?

TrueMed’s patented AI and computer vision technology analyzes visual markers on existing product packaging—such as print quality, alignment, and micro-defects. This allows instant authentication using a mobile phone or lab scanner without any QR codes, holograms, or serialization changes.

Can TrueMed help us monitor and enforce in global high-risk markets?

Yes. TrueMed is field-ready and works across borders, enabling local teams, customs agents, or partners to verify products on-site. It’s proven effective in high-risk markets, including China, Southeast Asia, and Latin America, where counterfeit prevalence is highest.

Does TrueMed support legal enforcement actions?

Absolutely. TrueMed provides timestamped, scan-level visual evidence of counterfeit or diverted products, which can be used to initiate legal action, notify regulators, or support customs seizures. Our platform enhances traceability and strengthens your case for enforcement.

What does the scanning process look like for brand protection teams?

Users scan packaging using a mobile phone or lab scanner. Within seconds, TrueMed delivers a clear result—authentic, suspicious, or counterfeit—along with a confidence score and metadata. This streamlines field inspections and supports consistent documentation.

What types of counterfeits can TrueMed detect?

TrueMed can detect:
- Sophisticated counterfeits with high-quality packaging
- Diverted products sold outside their intended market
- Repackaged or relabeled products
- Fakes with near-identical visual design
The system constantly learns and improves based on new threat patterns.

Can TrueMed be used in labs for high-volume product testing?

Yes. TrueMed supports lab-based workflows for scanning hundreds or thousands of units. It’s ideal for customs labs, QA teams, and internal investigations where batch-level counterfeit detection is needed.

How fast can we deploy TrueMed for our brand protection program?

TrueMed is fast to implement. Most deployments happen within weeks—no packaging changes, no delays, and no IT overhaul. This lets your brand protection team scale enforcement quickly and start collecting actionable insights from day one.

Can we partner with TrueMed for global brand protection initiatives?

TrueMed works with global pharmaceutical companies, enforcement agencies, and packaging security teams to scale brand protection operations. If you’re interested in collaboration, reach out via our contact form or request a demo.