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Our travel expert Joanna Hall, editor of the Ultimate Travel Magazine, has seen many things on her travels. So we asked her how we can travel smarter and safer, avoiding hidden health hazards. Read this before you pack your suitcase.
For many people, bringing home a few mementoes from their travels is essential, and some of the many alluring things that can tempt travellers include fakes. Although illegal, a copy of the latest Hollywood movie or a “look-a-like” designer handbag may not pose much harm, but counterfeiting today has gone beyond clothes and electronics.
In some parts of the world, it’s possible to buy anything from counterfeit alcohol and cigarettes, to perfume and toys. They all of carry potential risks, but when it comes to fake medicines, you really could be up for some serious trouble.
Counterfeiting medicines is big business, and according to the World Health Organisation, it’s also on the rise. In parts of Africa, Asia and Latin America, for example, it’s estimated that more that 30 per cent of the medicines on sale are counterfeit. But what’s especially worrying for travellers is that it’s not just prescription meds that have been targeted by counterfeiters.
Many people get sick when they travel, from a bout of Delhi Belly to a cold or even the flu. And if you are a typical traveller who doesn’t take an emergency health kit with them from home, it might be necessary to buy something to ease your discomfort in the country you’re visiting. But today many common over-the-counter products travellers pick up on the road, such as headache and anti-diarrhoea remedies, can also turn out to be fakes. And they can sometimes be potentially lethal. In 1998, for example, 30 children died in India after taking a paracetamol cough syrup that had been prepared with diethylene glycol – that’s a toxic chemical used in antifreeze.
So when it comes to medications specifically, what can you do to spot the real thing from a fake?
Top of the list is to avoid buying anything from markets or stalls, and stick to properly licensed pharmacies. Beyond that check expiration dates, and watch out for poor packaging, unclear printing on labels and boxes, and broken seals. And if in doubt, don’t buy it.
Joanna is the editor of the Ultimate Travel Magazine – Australia’s first online magazine dedicated to the best in luxury travel.