India appears free from fake diabetes tests, Ministry says

India has no reports counterfeit J&J diabetes tests found last year are still on sale in the country, the Ministry of Health said.

In April 2011 Johnson & Johnson (J&J) found fake versions of its OneTouch Ultra blood glucose monitors on sale in India. The Indian regulator supported an anti-counterfeiting response that the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare claims has had the desired effect.

“Though such drugs and medical aids are in use in India, there are no reports of availability of fake substitutes of these products in the country,” the Ministry said. As well as glucose test strips, the answer referred specifically to surgical mesh, Tamiflu (oseltamivir) and Alli (orlistat).

Counterfeit versions of all the products cited in parliamentary questioning have shown up in the US and other markets in recent years. India claims it is has no evidence any of the fakes are still on sale in the country.