Six in 10 patients worry about fake prescription drugs, survey finds

Trust in prescription medicines is under strain, with a new survey of 5,000 patients in the US, UK, France, and Germany commissioned by Avery Dennison finding six in 10 worry about counterfeit or substandard drugs.

Regional differences were evident. In the US, 63% of respondents reported anxiety about counterfeit medication, compared with 57% in France. Concern was even higher among online pharmacy users, where 70% across all markets expressed worry. When asked about specific risks, 41% cited the risk of receiving substandard or counterfeit products (rising to 45% in the US and UK). Online pharmacy legitimacy was also a major issue, selected by 34% overall, including 39% in the US, 40% in the UK, 30% in France, and 21% in Germany.

The findings point to strong demand for digital safeguards. Technologies such as radio-frequency identification (RFID) and near field communication (NFC) are increasingly seen as tools to make medicines traceable and verifiable across supply chains. Overall, 83% of respondents said they valued smartphone-based authentication on packaging to verify medication authenticity at the point of use. Interest was highest among 30–39-year-olds at 89%, compared with 65% among those aged 70–79. In addition, 82% want digital guidance on correct medicine usage, with 40% describing it as “extremely valuable”.

The survey comes amid rising regulatory concern over falsified drugs entering legitimate channels, including reports of fake Ozempic in the US supply and estimates that 96% of the world’s 35,000 online pharmacies operate illegally, with around 20 new illicit sites appearing daily.

“People are understandably seeking greater confidence in the medicines they take. Our research shows they’re ready for technology that verifies authenticity and provides helpful information directly from the product itself,” said Barbara van Rymenam, Senior Director, Healthcare at Avery Dennison. “Digital product identification can transform how patients interact with their medications, building trust while enabling pharmaceutical companies to protect their brands and, most importantly, help safeguard patients from the very real threat of counterfeits.”