The black market is a place where illegal goods are bought and sold, including drugs. One of the most expensive drugs in the black market is fentanyl.
After 20 years and $200 billion in revenue, Humira — an injectable treatment for rheumatoid arthritis and several other autoimmune conditions — has lost its monopoly. Early Tuesday morning, California-based biotech firm Amgen released Amjevita, the first close copy of the best selling drug of all time. At least seven more Humira copycats, known as biosimilars, are expected to debut later this year. Personal health information is among the most valuable black-market data for cybercriminals to collect and sell.
What is Fentanyl?
The complex drug purchasing system in the U.S. — rife with confidential rebates and convoluted fees — creates perverse financial incentives. In order to pass this test — and demonstrate biosimilars can have a strong, healthy future in the U.S. — Humira’s challengers need to deliver big savings and devour market share. It may be hard to tell whether a person is high or experiencing an overdose. A virtual private network encrypts traffic, which is a key safeguard when staffers log into the pharmacy system remotely. Cocaine produced in Colombia and Bolivia increasingly has been shipped via West Africa (especially in Nigeria, Cape Verde, Guinea-Bissau, Cameroon, Mali, Benin, Togo, and Ghana).[30] The money is often laundered in countries such as Nigeria, Ghana, and Senegal.
Organized Crime
Fentanyl is a synthetic opioid that is 50-100 times stronger than morphine. It is a Schedule II prescription drug, meaning it has a high potential for abuse and is only available by prescription. However, it is also produced illegally and sold on the black market.
- Unfortunately, the most expensive price is that of a person’s life—heroin poses a serious risk of overdose and the spreading of deadly diseases such as HIV/AIDS or hepatitis.
- In many states, medical examiners are often too overwhelmed by the numbers to do the testing to determine which analog was involved.
- Patients feel sick after taking the counterfeit pills, and the police start to monitor the market for fake medicines.
- Folotyn is approved to treat peripheral t-cell lymphoma, a rare blood cancer that can cause death.
Many of those arrested will end up incarcerated, exacerbating the fact that tax monies supporting the incarceration of non-violent drug offenders are significant. “Compounded drugs pose a higher risk to patient than FDA-approved drugs because compounded drugs do not undergo FDA premarket review for safety, effectiveness, or quality,” the agency said in a statement. “The FDA’s compounding program aims to protect patients from poor quality compounded drugs, while preserving access to lawfully marketed compounded drugs for patients.” The center’s research has been used to reduce youth substance use, improve the quality of substance use treatment, help veterans with drug-use problems, and reduce alcohol-involved crime.
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Why is Fentanyl So Expensive?
Hydrocodone Addiction: Symptoms, Causes, And Effects
Fentanyl is expensive due to its potency and the cost of production. Because it is so strong, only a small amount is needed to produce a significant effect. This means that a small amount of fentanyl can be sold for a high price.
But each time the issue of legalization arises, the same arguments for and against are dusted off and trotted out, leaving us with no clearer understanding of what it might entail and what the effect might be. Whether Bill Clinton “inhaled” when trying marijuana as a college student was about the closest the last presidential campaign came to addressing the drug issue. For the fourth straight year, a federally supported nationwide survey of American secondary school students by the University of Michigan has indicated increased drug use. After a decade or more in which drug use had been falling, the Republicans will assuredly blame the bad news on President Clinton and assail him for failing to carry on the Bush and Reagan administrations’ high-profile stand against drugs.
Additionally, the production of fentanyl is complex and requires specialized knowledge and equipment. This increases the cost of production, making the drug more expensive on the black market.
How Black Markets Work
Dangers of Fentanyl
Fentanyl is a highly dangerous drug due to its potency. It can be deadly in even small doses, and overdoses are common. Because it is often mixed with other drugs, users may not be aware of the amount of fentanyl they are taking, increasing the risk of overdose.
FAQs
- What is the most expensive drug in the black market? Fentanyl is one of the most expensive drugs in the black market due to its potency and the cost of production.
- Why is fentanyl so dangerous? Fentanyl is highly dangerous due to its potency. It can be deadly in even small doses, and overdoses are common.
- How is fentanyl produced? Fentanyl is produced illegally in clandestine laboratories. The production process is complex and requires specialized knowledge and equipment.
However, the detox process can affect individuals differently and potentially be life-threatening, so it is integral that an individual does not try to undergo a detox without medical supervision. Explore the intricate journey of drug development in the pharmaceutical industry. In May 2019, FDA approved new gene therapy for SMA, and with a price tag of $2,125,000, it’s the most expensive drug the world has ever seen.
Conclusion
Fentanyl is one of the most expensive drugs in the black market due to its potency and the cost of production. It is a highly dangerous drug that can be deadly in even small doses. If you or someone you know is struggling with addiction, seek help immediately.
