A hospital pharmacist notices that a batch of an expensive cancer medicine looks slightly different. The packaging is good, but the batch number does not match any the manufacturer ever released. Tests later confirm the vials contain no active ingredient. By then, the product has passed through three wholesalers in two countries, and patients have already received it.
For pharmaceutical companies, counterfeiting and diversion are not just commercial problems. They put patients at risk and put licences, reputations and relationships with regulators on the line. Our pharmaceutical investigation services help manufacturers, distributors and licence holders detect falsified medicines, trace diversion, vet partners and investigate compliance concerns. As an international investigation firm headquartered in Dubai and backed by the 30+ years of GREVESGROUP®, we support the pharmaceutical sector in more than 100 countries.
Investigation Challenges in Pharmaceuticals
- Counterfeit and falsified medicines entering legitimate and illegitimate supply chains
- Drug diversion, where products intended for one market, tender or programme are resold elsewhere
- Illegal online pharmacies selling fake or unapproved versions of your products
- Distributor and agent risk, including unlicensed sub-distribution and poor storage conditions
- Bribery and corruption risk in interactions with healthcare professionals and public tenders
- Patent and data infringement by generic producers before protection expires
- Product tampering, relabelling and expired stock re-entering the market
Our Investigation Services for Pharmaceuticals
Brand Protection
Our pharmaceutical brand protection programmes monitor pharmacies, wholesalers, markets, online pharmacies and social media for counterfeit and unregistered versions of your products. Investigators carry out test purchases, secure samples for laboratory analysis with a documented chain of custody, and trace supply back to its source. We support raids, seizures and regulatory complaints with local authorities where the law allows.
IP Investigation
Our counterfeit medicine investigations go further than the pharmacy shelf, identifying importers, repackagers and manufacturing sites. We also investigate pharmaceutical patent infringement, gathering evidence of manufacture, import and sale of infringing products, and trademark misuse by look-alike brands.
Due Diligence
Pharma distributor due diligence verifies distributors, agents, importers and contract manufacturers before appointment: licences, ownership, warehouse conditions, sub-distribution practices, links to healthcare officials, litigation and reputation. It is a core control for both product integrity and anti-bribery compliance.
Corporate Investigation
When allegations arise of bribes to doctors or officials, rigged tenders, fake promotional events or misuse of samples, our corporate investigators establish the facts independently. Our anti-bribery investigations in pharma support compliance teams under the UK Bribery Act, the US FCPA and local laws.
Private Investigation
We investigate drug diversion by tracing batch numbers, conducting market enquiries and identifying where products intended for one country, tender or patient programme are being resold. Lawful commercial surveillance supports diversion and counterfeit cases where needed.
Background Check
We screen medical representatives, regulatory and quality staff, and senior appointments, and verify the credentials of consultants and key opinion leaders engaged by the company.
Claim Investigation
We help insurers and manufacturers verify product liability, cargo loss and cold chain failure claims, including theft of high-value shipments in transit.
Process Service
Action against infringers, counterfeiters and defaulting distributors abroad needs proper service. We serve claims, injunctions and court orders internationally with court-ready proof.
Tracing Falsified Medicines Through the Supply Chain
Falsified medicines usually enter the market through weak points: small wholesalers, parallel traders, tender surplus, online sellers and informal markets. Our investigators follow the product backwards, using batch numbers, packaging variations, invoices and supplier relationships to identify where genuine stock ends and fake stock begins. Samples are handled carefully so your quality team or an accredited laboratory can confirm authenticity. The result is a clear picture of the network, which regulators and enforcement agencies can act on.
Diversion and Tender Abuse
Diversion is often harder to see than counterfeiting because the product is genuine. Medicines supplied at special prices for public tenders, humanitarian programmes or specific countries reappear in higher-priced markets. This damages pricing, can breach tender conditions and may compromise storage and cold chain requirements. We identify the diversion route and the partner responsible so you can enforce contracts and protect programme integrity.
Serialisation Helps, But It Does Not Replace Investigation
Track-and-trace and serialisation systems now operate in the EU, the GCC and other markets, and they make it harder to introduce fakes into regulated supply chains. They do not stop counterfeiters who sell outside those chains, through informal markets, unlicensed pharmacies, online sellers and cross-border traders. Nor do they tell you who is behind a fake or a diversion scheme. Serialisation data can point to where a problem appears; investigation establishes who caused it and gathers the evidence to stop them.
Products Most at Risk
Counterfeiters target products with high value, high demand or strong brand recognition. In our experience that includes oncology and specialty medicines, vaccines and biologics, antibiotics and antimalarials, diabetes treatments, lifestyle and weight-loss medicines, hormones and performance drugs, and popular over-the-counter brands. Medical devices and consumables such as test kits, syringes and surgical products are increasingly affected too.
Typical Engagements
The scenarios below are illustrative examples of the kind of work we carry out in this sector.
Counterfeit oncology product
A manufacturer receives reports of suspicious vials in two markets. We purchase samples, confirm they are falsified through the client's laboratory, and trace them to an importer using a network of small wholesalers, supporting regulatory action.
Distributor vetting
Before appointing a distributor in a new African market, a pharma company asks us to check the candidate. We find that a shareholder is a close relative of a senior health official, and the company restructures the appointment to manage the corruption risk.
Tender diversion
Discounted stock supplied for a public tender appears in private pharmacies in a neighbouring country. Batch tracing identifies the distributor responsible.
Online pharmacies
A network of websites sells unregistered versions of a branded medicine. We link the sites to common operators and payment channels for enforcement.
How We Work with Pharmaceutical Clients
We work with brand protection, security, quality, regulatory affairs, compliance and legal teams. Many clients run structured programmes with us covering priority products and markets, with regular reporting on detections, investigations and enforcement results. Others instruct us case by case when a suspect product or allegation appears. Every engagement starts with a confidential briefing and agreed protocols for samples, evidence and escalation.
What You Receive
Evidence-ready reports with test purchase records, sample chain-of-custody documentation, supply chain maps, profiles of targets and recommended enforcement or compliance actions.
Why Pharmaceutical Companies Choose Risk Investigators
Patient safety focus
We prioritise the cases that put patients at risk.
Source-level results
We trace fakes and diversion to the people behind them, not just the pharmacy shelf.
Compliance experience
Independent investigations that stand up to regulatory scrutiny.
Global reach
Investigators in more than 100 countries, including high-risk markets for falsified medicines.
Group experience
GREVESGROUP® brings more than 30 years of anti-counterfeiting and investigation work.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do you investigate counterfeit medicines?
We monitor markets, carry out test purchases, secure samples with chain of custody for laboratory testing and trace the product back through sellers, wholesalers and importers to its source.
What is drug diversion?
Drug diversion is the movement of genuine medicines out of their intended market, tender or programme into other channels, often at higher prices and sometimes without proper storage.
Do you vet pharmaceutical distributors?
Yes. We investigate distributors and agents for licensing, ownership, storage conditions, sub-distribution, links to officials, litigation and reputation.
Can you investigate bribery allegations involving healthcare professionals?
Yes. We conduct independent anti-bribery investigations into interactions with healthcare professionals, officials and tenders, supporting your compliance and legal teams.
Do you investigate illegal online pharmacies?
Yes. We identify operators, linked websites, payment channels and supply sources behind illegal online pharmacies selling your products.
Do you test medicines yourselves?
No. We secure samples lawfully with documented chain of custody and pass them to your quality team or an accredited laboratory for analysis.
Can you support raids on counterfeit medicine suppliers?
Yes. We prepare evidence and support enforcement actions with local authorities where the law allows.
Do you investigate counterfeit medical devices and consumables?
Yes. We trace counterfeit devices, test kits and consumables through suppliers and distributors, secure samples for technical assessment and support enforcement.