{"id":68054,"date":"2026-09-24T10:12:00","date_gmt":"2026-09-24T10:12:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/drpreema.com\/?p=68054"},"modified":"2026-09-24T16:50:41","modified_gmt":"2026-09-24T16:50:41","slug":"counterfeit-injectables-how-do-you-know-what-is-being-injected","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/drpreema.com\/zh\/counterfeit-injectables-how-do-you-know-what-is-being-injected\/","title":{"rendered":"Counterfeit Injectables: How Do You Know What Is Being Injected?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n[et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ _builder_version=”4.14.2″ custom_margin=”0px||||false|false” custom_margin_tablet=”” custom_margin_phone=”-20px||||false|false” custom_margin_last_edited=”on|phone” da_disable_devices=”off|off|off” global_colors_info=”{}” da_is_popup=”off” da_exit_intent=”off” da_has_close=”on” da_alt_close=”off” da_dark_close=”off” da_not_modal=”on” da_is_singular=”off” da_with_loader=”off” da_has_shadow=”on”][et_pb_row _builder_version=”4.14.2″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.14.2″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_image src=”https:\/\/drpreema.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/injectable-treatment-patient-safety-dr-preema-london-clinic.jpg” alt=”Injectable treatment at Dr Preema London Clinic in Mayfair” title_text=”injectable-treatment-patient-safety-dr-preema-london-clinic” align=”center” _builder_version=”4.14.2″ _module_preset=”default” max_height=”464px” global_colors_info=”{}”][\/et_pb_image][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row _builder_version=”4.14.2″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.14.2″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.14.2″ _module_preset=”default” custom_margin=”||-30px||false|false” custom_margin_tablet=”||-30px||false|false” custom_margin_phone=”||-30px||false|false” custom_margin_last_edited=”on|phone” global_colors_info=”{}”]

Counterfeit Injectables: How Do You Know What Is Being Injected?<\/span><\/h2>[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row _builder_version=”4.14.2″ _module_preset=”default” custom_margin_tablet=”” custom_margin_phone=”||-30px||false|false” custom_margin_last_edited=”on|phone” custom_padding=”||||false|false” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.14.2″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.14.2″ _module_preset=”default” header_3_font=”Prata||||||||” inline_fonts=”Montserrat” global_colors_info=”{}”]

When choosing an aesthetic clinic, patients are often told to \u201cdo their research\u201d. Check the practitioner\u2019s qualifications and experience. Look at their results. Ask questions. Make sure you feel comfortable before going ahead.
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All of that is important. But patient safety should not rest entirely on the patient making the right choice.
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Clinics have responsibilities too.
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That includes knowing exactly what they are purchasing, where it has come from and whether the supplier they are buying from is reputable and authorised to distribute the product. Choosing a product simply because it is available at a lower price is not good enough when that product is going to be injected into a patient.
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This is where product provenance becomes important.
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In aesthetic medicine, it is not enough for a box, syringe or label to look convincing. Clinics need to know that the products they inject are genuine, have been obtained through appropriate supply channels and can be traced back through the supply chain if there is ever a problem.
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It is an issue that has become increasingly important as injectable products have become more widely available online and increasingly low-cost treatment offers compete for patients’ attention.
Profhilo<\/a> provides a useful example.
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Why are people talking about counterfeit Profhilo?<\/span><\/h2>[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row _builder_version=”4.14.2″ _module_preset=”default” custom_margin_tablet=”” custom_margin_phone=”||-30px||false|false” custom_margin_last_edited=”on|phone” custom_padding=”||||false|false” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.14.2″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.14.2″ _module_preset=”default” header_3_font=”Prata||||||||” inline_fonts=”Montserrat” global_colors_info=”{}”]

Profhilo is an injectable hyaluronic acid treatment manufactured by IBSA and used to improve skin quality, hydration and laxity.
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Its popularity inevitably means there is demand for the product outside established medical and pharmacy supply chains.
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The problem is that a patient sitting in a treatment chair has very little way of knowing where the product in front of them actually came from.
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There are also two separate issues that are sometimes confused.
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A counterfeit product<\/strong> is not genuine Profhilo at all. It may imitate the branding or packaging but its contents, manufacture and safety cannot be assumed to be the same as the authentic product.
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A parallel or unauthorised import<\/strong>, however, may be a genuine product originally intended for another market. That does not automatically mean the product is counterfeit, but it can raise questions about how it reached the UK, including how it was stored and transported, and whether its journey through the supply chain can be properly traced.
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That distinction matters.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row _builder_version=”4.14.2″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.14.2″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_image src=”https:\/\/drpreema.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/Profhilo-Structura.jpg” alt=”Profhilo Structura by IBSA with UK and Ireland authenticity holograms” title_text=”Profhilo Structura with IBSA Authenticity Hologram” align=”center” _builder_version=”4.14.2″ _module_preset=”default” max_height=”480px” global_colors_info=”{}”][\/et_pb_image][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row _builder_version=”4.14.2″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.14.2″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.14.2″ _module_preset=”default” custom_margin=”||-30px||false|false” custom_margin_tablet=”||-30px||false|false” custom_margin_phone=”||-30px||false|false” custom_margin_last_edited=”on|phone” global_colors_info=”{}”]

A genuine box doesn’t necessarily tell you the whole story<\/span><\/h2>[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row _builder_version=”4.14.2″ _module_preset=”default” custom_margin_tablet=”” custom_margin_phone=”||-30px||false|false” custom_margin_last_edited=”on|phone” custom_padding=”16px||||false|false” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.14.2″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.14.2″ _module_preset=”default” header_3_font=”Prata||||||||” inline_fonts=”Montserrat” global_colors_info=”{}”]

This is where product provenance becomes more complicated than simply asking whether the packaging \u201clooks real\u201d.
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During discussions with the Profhilo<\/a> team, we were made aware of a case elsewhere in the UK market where product had been identified that was originally destined for Mauritius.
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That does not mean the product itself was necessarily counterfeit. The concern is how and why a product intended for another market has arrived here, and whether its journey can be properly accounted for.
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Injectable products need to be transported and stored under appropriate conditions. Clinics also need accurate batch information and a clear supply chain so that a product can be traced if a safety issue or adverse reaction occurs.
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For us, therefore, it is not enough simply to know that a product is genuine. We also need to know that it has reached the clinic through an appropriate, traceable supply chain and that its provenance can be verified.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row _builder_version=”4.14.2″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.14.2″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.14.2″ _module_preset=”default” custom_margin=”||-30px||false|false” custom_margin_tablet=”||-30px||false|false” custom_margin_phone=”||-30px||false|false” custom_margin_last_edited=”on|phone” global_colors_info=”{}”]

Why does the supply chain matter if something goes wrong?<\/span><\/h2>[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row _builder_version=”4.14.2″ _module_preset=”default” custom_margin_tablet=”” custom_margin_phone=”||-30px||false|false” custom_margin_last_edited=”on|phone” custom_padding=”16px||||false|false” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.14.2″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.14.2″ _module_preset=”default” header_3_font=”Prata||||||||” inline_fonts=”Montserrat” global_colors_info=”{}”]

Most injectable aesthetic treatments are performed without complication, but no injectable procedure is entirely risk-free.
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If a patient experiences an unexpected reaction, the practitioner needs to know exactly what was injected, its batch number and where it was obtained.
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When products are purchased through recognised suppliers, there is an established chain through which the clinic can investigate a problem and, where appropriate, seek support from the supplier or manufacturer.
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If a product has been obtained from an unknown or unauthorised source, that chain may be much harder to establish.
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There may also be implications for a practitioner’s insurance if products are being used that fall outside the requirements of their policy or have not been sourced appropriately. The exact position will depend on the individual policy, but it is another reason why responsible clinics take procurement seriously.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row _builder_version=”4.14.2″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.14.2″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.14.2″ _module_preset=”default” custom_margin=”||-30px||false|false” custom_margin_tablet=”||-30px||false|false” custom_margin_phone=”||-30px||false|false” custom_margin_last_edited=”on|phone” global_colors_info=”{}”]

Why very cheap injectable treatments should make you ask questions<\/span><\/h2>[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row _builder_version=”4.14.2″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.14.2″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.14.2″ _module_preset=”default” header_3_font=”Prata||||||||” inline_fonts=”Montserrat” global_colors_info=”{}”]

Price alone cannot tell you whether an injectable product is genuine.
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There are perfectly legitimate reasons why clinics charge different prices, including location, practitioner experience, overheads and promotional activity.
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But there is a point at which unusually low prices should prompt questions.
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Genuine injectable products purchased through reputable suppliers have a cost. So do appropriate medical premises, insurance, training, consultation time, aftercare and the ability to manage complications.
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When we see injectable treatments advertised at exceptionally low prices, including through mass-discount and voucher platforms, the question should not simply be:
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\u201cWhy is this so cheap?\u201d<\/em>
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It should also be:
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\u201cWhat exactly am I being injected with, who is injecting it and where did the product come from?\u201d<\/em>
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A low price does not prove that a product is counterfeit. But when something appears substantially cheaper than the normal market price, patients are entitled to understand how that price is being achieved.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>[\/et_pb_text][et_pb_image src=”https:\/\/drpreema.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/ibsa-profhilo-authenticity-hologram-uk-ireland.png” alt=”IBSA authenticity hologram supplied for Profhilo products in the UK and Ireland” title_text=”IBSA Profhilo Authenticity Hologram” align=”center” _builder_version=”4.14.2″ _module_preset=”default” max_height=”480px” global_colors_info=”{}”][\/et_pb_image][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row _builder_version=”4.14.2″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.14.2″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.14.2″ _module_preset=”default” min_height=”38px” custom_margin=”||-30px||false|false” custom_margin_tablet=”||-30px||false|false” custom_margin_phone=”||-30px||false|false” custom_margin_last_edited=”on|phone” global_colors_info=”{}”]

The new Profhilo hologram<\/span><\/h2>[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row _builder_version=”4.14.2″ _module_preset=”default” custom_margin_tablet=”” custom_margin_phone=”||-30px||false|false” custom_margin_last_edited=”on|phone” custom_padding=”||||false|false” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.14.2″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.14.2″ _module_preset=”default” header_3_font=”Prata||||||||” inline_fonts=”Montserrat” global_colors_info=”{}”]

IBSA is introducing additional security features to Profhilo packaging, including a hologram designed to make authentic products easier to identify and counterfeit packaging more difficult to reproduce.
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This is a positive development.
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But a hologram should be viewed as one part of product verification, not a substitute for choosing an appropriately qualified practitioner and a reputable clinic.
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Packaging can evolve. Counterfeiters can become more sophisticated. And, as we have already discussed, a genuine product can still raise questions if it has reached a clinic through an unexpected supply route.
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The bigger issue remains provenance.<\/span><\/p>[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row _builder_version=”4.14.2″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.14.2″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.14.2″ _module_preset=”default” min_height=”38px” custom_margin=”||-30px||false|false” custom_margin_tablet=”||-30px||false|false” custom_margin_phone=”||-30px||false|false” custom_margin_last_edited=”on|phone” global_colors_info=”{}”]

No hologram, no treatment?<\/span><\/h2>[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row _builder_version=”4.14.2″ _module_preset=”default” custom_margin_tablet=”” custom_margin_phone=”||-30px||false|false” custom_margin_last_edited=”on|phone” custom_padding=”||||false|false” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.14.2″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.14.2″ _module_preset=”default” header_3_font=”Prata||||||||” inline_fonts=”Montserrat” global_colors_info=”{}”]

Not necessarily.
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As packaging changes are introduced, there can be a transition period while existing legitimate stock moves through authorised supply chains. An older genuine pack should not automatically be assumed to be counterfeit simply because it does not carry a newer security feature.
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This is why patients should not be expected to authenticate medical products themselves based on packaging alone.
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The clinic purchasing and administering the product should already have done that due diligence.<\/span><\/p>[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row _builder_version=”4.14.2″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.14.2″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_image src=”https:\/\/drpreema.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/Dr-Preema-Vig-Profhilo-Strutura-treatment-at-Dr-Preema-London-Clinic.jpg” alt=”Dr Preema Vig holding a Profhilo Structura treatment box at Dr Preema London Clinic in Mayfair.” title_text=”Dr Preema Vig with Profhilo Structura at Her Mayfair Clinic” align=”center” _builder_version=”4.14.2″ _module_preset=”default” max_height=”480px” global_colors_info=”{}”][\/et_pb_image][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row _builder_version=”4.14.2″ _module_preset=”default” custom_margin_tablet=”” custom_margin_phone=”||-30px||false|false” custom_margin_last_edited=”on|phone” custom_padding=”||||false|false” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.14.2″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.14.2″ _module_preset=”default” header_font=”Montserrat||||||||” header_2_font=”Prata||||||||” header_3_font=”Prata||||||||” custom_margin=”||||false|false” custom_margin_tablet=”||||false|false” custom_margin_phone=”0px||||false|false” custom_margin_last_edited=”on|phone” custom_padding=”10px||||false|false” custom_padding_tablet=”30px||||false|false” custom_padding_phone=”0px||||false|false” custom_padding_last_edited=”on|phone” inline_fonts=”Montserrat” global_colors_info=”{}”]

What we do at Dr Preema London Clinic<\/span><\/h2>[\/et_pb_text][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.14.2″ _module_preset=”default” header_3_font=”Prata||||||||” inline_fonts=”Montserrat” global_colors_info=”{}”]

At Dr Preema London Clinic, we take product sourcing seriously because it forms part of patient safety.
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Following the recent discussion around Profhilo sourcing, we contacted our suppliers directly and confirmed that the pharmacies we use are authorised to distribute the products we purchase from them.
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We maintain records of the products and batches used in clinic so that there is traceability should it ever be required.
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For our patients, that means the responsibility for checking where a product came from does not begin when they sit in the treatment chair. It begins with the decisions we make when purchasing products for the clinic.<\/span><\/p>[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row _builder_version=”4.14.2″ _module_preset=”default” custom_margin_tablet=”” custom_margin_phone=”||-30px||false|false” custom_margin_last_edited=”on|phone” custom_padding=”||||false|false” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.14.2″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.14.2″ _module_preset=”default” header_font=”Montserrat||||||||” header_2_font=”Prata||||||||” header_3_font=”Prata||||||||” custom_margin=”||||false|false” custom_margin_tablet=”||||false|false” custom_margin_phone=”0px||||false|false” custom_margin_last_edited=”on|phone” custom_padding=”10px||||false|false” custom_padding_tablet=”30px||||false|false” custom_padding_phone=”0px||||false|false” custom_padding_last_edited=”on|phone” inline_fonts=”Montserrat” global_colors_info=”{}”]

This isn’t only about Profhilo<\/span><\/h2>[\/et_pb_text][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.14.2″ _module_preset=”default” header_3_font=”Prata||||||||” inline_fonts=”Montserrat” global_colors_info=”{}”]

Profhilo has brought this conversation into focus, but product sourcing is a much wider issue within injectable aesthetics.
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Dermal fillers, skin boosters and other injectable products are available from a growing number of online sources, some of which may sit outside the manufacturer’s recognised UK distribution network.
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The fact that a product is available to purchase online does not automatically tell a practitioner anything about its provenance, storage history or authenticity.
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That is why choosing a clinic involves more than looking at before-and-after photographs or comparing treatment prices.
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The practitioner, the product and the supply chain all matter.<\/span><\/p>[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row _builder_version=”4.14.2″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.14.2″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_image src=”https:\/\/drpreema.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/dr-preema-vig-patient-consultation-mayfair-london.jpg” alt=”Dr Preema Vig consulting with a patient at Dr Preema London Clinic in Mayfair” title_text=”Dr Preema Vig Patient Consultation” align=”center” _builder_version=”4.14.2″ _module_preset=”default” max_height=”480px” global_colors_info=”{}”][\/et_pb_image][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row _builder_version=”4.14.2″ _module_preset=”default” custom_margin_tablet=”” custom_margin_phone=”||-30px||false|false” custom_margin_last_edited=”on|phone” custom_padding=”||||false|false” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.14.2″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.14.2″ _module_preset=”default” header_font=”Montserrat||||||||” header_2_font=”Prata||||||||” header_3_font=”Prata||||||||” custom_margin=”||||false|false” custom_margin_tablet=”||||false|false” custom_margin_phone=”0px||||false|false” custom_margin_last_edited=”on|phone” custom_padding=”10px||||false|false” custom_padding_tablet=”30px||||false|false” custom_padding_phone=”0px||||false|false” custom_padding_last_edited=”on|phone” hover_enabled=”0″ inline_fonts=”Montserrat” global_colors_info=”{}” sticky_enabled=”0″]

What can patients ask before an injectable treatment?<\/span><\/h2>[\/et_pb_text][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.14.2″ _module_preset=”default” header_3_font=”Prata||||||||” hover_enabled=”0″ inline_fonts=”Montserrat” global_colors_info=”{}” sticky_enabled=”0″]

You do not need to become an expert in pharmaceutical packaging before having an aesthetic treatment.
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But it is entirely reasonable to ask:
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