Is it Western medicine or traditional Chinese medicine? Is it a health supplement or food? Is it genuine, substandard, or counterfeit? Authenticity can first be verified by checking the approval number and markings on the outer packaging. Next, log onto the National Medical Products Administration website for data verification. The simplest and most reliable identification method is to examine the approval number on the packaging.
1. Pharmaceutical products must display an approval number on the packaging: "National Drug Approval Number H (or Z, S, J, B, F) + 8-digit number." This signifies approval by the National Medical Products Administration for production and market sale. The letter prefixes denote: H - Chemical drugs, Z - Traditional Chinese patent medicines, S - Biological products, J - Imported drugs repackaged domestically, B - Drugs with auxiliary therapeutic effects, F - Pharmaceutical excipients.
2. If the packaging lacks the "National Drug Approval Number," it is definitely not a pharmaceutical product. If it does have this number, log into the NMPA data query system. Enter the drug name or the letters and 8-digit number following the "National Drug Approval Number." If the result shows a genuine drug, it is authentic; if not found, it is counterfeit.
3. Approval numbers formatted as: X Pharmaceutical Preparation No. H(Z)+4-digit year code+4-digit serial number indicate hospital preparations. These are for internal hospital use only and cannot be sold in other hospitals or pharmacies.
4. Products lacking or altering expiration dates, omitting or altering production batch numbers, or exceeding their expiration date are substandard drugs.
5. Health supplements must display either the National Medical Products Administration approval number: Guoshi Jianzhi G(J)+8 digits, where "G" denotes domestic and "J" denotes imported. Or the Ministry of Health approval number: Weishi Jianzhi (Weishi Jianjinzi)+8 digits.Additionally, packaging or labels must prominently display the health supplement's special identifier: the "Blue Hat" logo—a blue hat-like emblem with the characters "保健食品" (Health Food) below it, followed by the approval number. Products lacking the Blue Hat logo and health supplement approval number are counterfeit.Products with a "Health Permit Number" begin with the abbreviation of the issuing province followed by a serial number, such as Yu Wei Shi Zheng Zi (豫卫食证字), Yue Wei Shi Zheng Zi (粤卫食证字), or Hu Wei Shi Zheng Zi (沪卫食证字). Its identifier is a rectangular white background containing a stylized blue "Q" letter with a white "S" inside. This is called the QS mark, with the words "Quality and Safety" (质量安全) below the QS.
However, if unscrupulous vendors counterfeit genuine drug packaging, only specialized institutions (pharmaceutical inspection institutes) can determine authenticity through chemical and physical testing methods.
⑴ Identification via the drug label.
Genuine drugs must display the registered trademark, manufacturer, approval number, product name, main ingredients, indications, usage, dosage, contraindications, specifications, adverse reactions, and precautions. Drugs with specified expiration dates must also indicate the expiration date.
Counterfeit drugs often lack a registered trademark; some may include elements of genuine trademarks but feature forged registration marks or approval numbers. Printing quality is typically poor, with blurred text, distorted colors, occasional typos, incorrect English letters, grammatical errors, or inconsistent font sizes. Some labels may entirely omit information present on genuine drug labels.
⑵ Identification by appearance.
Visual inspection:
Tablets: Check for discoloration, mottling, mold, sticking, partial damage, rough surfaces, or crystalline deposits.
Sugar-coated tablets: Should be white or other colors with a smooth surface. Do not use if the surface is faded, shows the base color, discolored, moldy, sticky, cracked, or spotted.
Capsules: Discard if moldy, softened, fractured, or with pinholes in the shell.
Eye drops: Discard if containing crystals, flocculent matter, specks, discoloration, cloudiness, or sediment, as these indicate deterioration.
Injectables: Do not use if the ampoule is cracked, the seal is compromised, the color is uneven, or there are foreign sediment particles. For powder injections, discoloration, severe clumping, sticking to the vial, or deliquescence are signs of deterioration.
Medications past their expiration date must not be sold or used.
Second: Smell. Authentic Diolxin Capsules emit a strong fishy odor. Lincomycin Hydrochloride Injection has a garlic or pickled vegetable smell. Synthetic Houttuynia Cordata Tablets carry the characteristic scent of Houttuynia. Cefalexin Capsules produce a preserved egg odor when powder is rubbed between fingers.
Third: Taste the capsule contents. For example, genuine Kuai Ke Capsules taste bitter, while counterfeits taste astringent. Genuine Amoxicillin Capsules have a slightly bitter taste, whereas counterfeits taste like cornstarch.
Fourth: Test flammability. For instance, genuine Compound Sulfamethoxazole Tablets burn easily, while counterfeits do not.
Fifth: Submission. If drug quality is suspected during purchase, sale, or use, submit samples to pharmaceutical inspection authorities for testing. Only approved products should be used.
Friendly reminder: Purchase medications from licensed hospitals or pharmacies to avoid counterfeit drugs and other serious consequences.