« Walking on the moon | Main | Beautiful writing of the day »
July 20, 2009
Where do counterfit drugs come from?
South-East Asia mostly.
Dallas C. Mildenhall, another scientist in the anti-counterfeit network, helps track fake drugs by analyzing the microscopic pollen grains embedded in the pills or packaging. Forensic investigators have used pollen grains for decades to help solve murders and other crimes, but Dr. Mildenhall pioneered using the tiny grains, which are ubiquitous in clothing, nostrils, hair, food and nearly everything exposed to air, to help combat counterfeiters.Using Scientific Tools in an International War on Fake DrugsBecause many plants are specific to certain parts of the world, pollen helps determine where the drugs were manufactured. “Pollen markers give you an idea of the environment,” Dr. Mildenhall said by telephone from his office in New Zealand, where he is a researcher at GNS Science, a government organization. “Is it wet, dry, hot, cold? Are the soils acidic or not?”
Dr. Mildenhall’s work has helped establish that many counterfeits come from the border area between China and Vietnam as well as the general vicinity of the Golden Triangle, the area famous for heroin production where the borders of Laos, Myanmar and Thailand meet.
Making and selling fake drugs is an evil way to make a living. It is no less than murder. It deserves the same punishment if done deliberately. This turns out to be important theme of the movie The Third Man, and the character that does it seems like a cold hearted killer.
Posted by OneEyedMan at July 20, 2009 1:43 PM
Comments
Post a comment
Thanks for signing in, . Now you can comment. (sign out)
(If you haven't left a comment here before, you may need to be approved by the site owner before your comment will appear. Until then, it won't appear on the entry. Thanks for waiting.)