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Health Canada is warning not to buy COVID-19 vaccines sold on the Internet or from unauthorized sources since they are fake.
In a Wednesday safety notice, the government agency warns, “counterfeit COVID-19 vaccines may pose serious health risks, and are ineffective at protecting an individual from the coronavirus.”
The alert follows the release of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine this week in Canada and the securing of a vaccine from Moderna.
The problem is not unique to our country.
Health Canada adds, “The International Criminal Police Organization, INTERPOL, has issued a global alert to law enforcement across its 194 member countries warning them of this issue.”
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Health Canada has issued a warning against buying COVID-19 vaccines that are being sold over the internet or by unauthorized sources.
These vaccines are counterfeit, the health authority said, and may pose serious health risks. They also do not protect against COVID-19.
“The only way to access safe and effective COVID-19 vaccines is through clinics organized or endorsed by your local public health authority in collaboration with Canada’s federal, provincial, and territorial governments,” the department said.
“COVID-19 vaccines are being offered free of charge to all Canadians.”
Health Canada notes that selling counterfeit drugs or vaccines is a criminal activity. The department is working with other government agencies as well as international partners to protect Canadians.
TORONTO Health Canada is urging Canadians not to buy a COVID-19 vaccine online or from unauthorized sources, as they are counterfeit, dangerous and ineffective.
In a notice issued on Wednesday, Health Canada said vaccines bought online âmay pose serious health risksâ and that the only way to access a safe vaccine is through authorized clinics. âHealth Canada evaluates the safety, efficacy and quality of any drug or vaccine before it can be legally sold in Canada and all vaccines require specific storage conditions in order to maintain their quality,â the agency wrote in the notice. âCOVID-19 vaccines have a tightly-controlled supply chain, and will only be provided through clinics organized or endorsed by your local public health authority. â
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The first doses of coronavirus vaccines have been shipped and administered around the world. This development is a welcome sign of relief at the end of a long and difficult year.
But almost simultaneously as vaccine distribution began, a warning was put out not by health agencies or policy makers, but by The International Criminal Police Organization, INTERPOL.
They told the world to be on the lookout for counterfeit vaccines and medical supplies.
Chad Anderson is a senior security researcher with DomainTools, a cyber security firm with the goal of democratizing, threat intelligence and give every security analyst investigative superpowers.