GSK and eBay team up to fight fake Alli

GlaxoSmithKline has joined forces with eBay to try to remove online auctions peddling fake versions of its Alli weight loss drug, according to a report on the FDAnews.com website.

The two companies are also staging a campaign to warn consumers about potentially fake product sold on other online auction websites.

The article, citing eBay's associate general counsel for government relations Jack Christin, says the site is removing auctions of the Alli covered by the alert and asking sellers to review FDA communications to make sure they have legitimate product before relisting it for sale.

The FDA issued warnings last month about the risks of buying Alli online after GSK said it had received a number of reports of consumers purchasing fake product in December 2009. The counterfeit product contained excessive amounts of sibutramine, a controlled drug that works by altering neurotransmitters in the brain.

The collaborative effort between GSK and eBay seems to be paying off; a search on the online auction site as this article went to press did not uncover a single listing for Alli capsules.

eBay has had to defend itself in a number of lawsuits exploring the extent to which the website operator can be held responsible for the actions of individuals who list counterfeit items for sale.

The company lost lawsuits with Louis Vuitton and Hermes in 2008, leading to suggestions that it may have to change its business model, but last year successfully fended off legal attacks from L'Oreal, Rolex and Tiffany.

The online auctioneer has always insisted that it is the responsibility of the brand owners to monitor and notify of counterfeits on the site, but the collaborative approach with GSK suggests it is adopting a less 'hands-off' policy than in the past.


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