A new medication tracking system is hoped to alleviate the gray market that thrives through diverting medications, as some hospitals and clinics (facing recent drug shortages) have turned to middle-men brokers. However, this increases the risk of counterfeit or unsafe drugs being administered to patients, FDA officials say. Counterfeit or altered medications can be diluted, inert or dangerous.

29 pharmaceutical companies are pledging money to help Interpol combat counterfeit or illegal drugs, sales of which total $430 billion a year.