ePetDrugs.com only sells EPA-Registered products. Only the products that are legal to sell in
the United States. EPA is responsible for assuring that all pesticides sold in the United States do not
cause adverse effects under EPA-approved label use conditions. The counterfeiters have placed
foreign labeled applicator package inserts in counterfeited Advantage and Frontline retail cartons
printed to resemble the U.S. -registered products. Frontline products, among other things, may be
missing instruction leaflets bearing directions for use required under U.S. law. Further, the Frontline
applicators may not be in the required child-resistant packaging. In addition to the inadequate
labeling and packaging, consumers cannot be assured that the counterfeiters inserted the
appropriate size applicator for the animal pictured or otherwise indicated on the retail carton of either
the Advantage or Frontline products. So, use of the counterfeit products may put the treated pet at
risk.
Are all of the Frontline and Advantage brands of pesticides counterfeit?
Consumers should be aware that the Frontline and Advantage brands of pesticides are registered by
EPA. The manufacturers of these two product lines are not implicated in the enforcement actions
EPA is announcing. However, product inventory that may be available at the retail level at this time
could include both counterfeit and legitimately registered and marketed pesticides. Therefore, EPA is
advising you about this problem and recommending that you determine whether the product you are
considering or have purchased appears to be a counterfeit of the EPA-registered pesticides
How can I determine if I have purchased the legitimate products?
The pesticide products are sold in a carton. It is difficult to distinguish counterfeit products from
EPA-registered products because they look very much alike. To determine if the product you have
purchased is legitimate, check to see if it meets the following criteria. If the product fails any one of
these criteria, it most likely is an illegitimate product and should be disposed of properly.
Frontline products
The lot number on the retail carton matches the lot number on the applicator package and/or the
individual applicators.
The instruction leaflet is included. It provides the following information: first-aid statements, including
emergency U.S. telephone numbers; precautionary statements for humans and pets; directions for
use; and storage and disposal statements.
The pesticide is contained in an applicator package, which is child-resistant. The directions for
opening the child- resistant applicator package include an illustration that actually looks like the
applicator package. The directions include "To remove applicator, use scissors or lift and remove
plastic tab to expose foil, then pull down."
The legitimate applicator package looks like this; note the notch between the individual applicator
packages, which generally are absent on counterfeit products. Text on the package is in English only.
Frontline Applicator Package (Front)
Frontline Applicator Package (Back)
Once you open the applicator package, each individual applicator has a label that includes the
registrant's name "Merial;" the product name; the EPA registration number (see list above); the net
contents in fluid ounces (fl. oz.) (not in metric measure, i.e., ml); percentage (%) of active
ingredient(s) (fipronil for Frontline Top Spot products; and fipronil and (S)-methoprene for Frontline
Plus products); and the statements "CAUTION," "Keep out of reach of children," and "See full label
for additional directions." Text is in English only.
The applicator label for the dog products includes the size of the dog in pounds on which the product
is to be used.
Advantage products
The only way to determine a legitimate Advantage product from a counterfeit product is by examining
the actual applicator tubes that are inside the carton. Since the directions for use on the retail carton
(outer box) and instruction leaflet of the legitimate product and the counterfeit product are identical,
check the language that is printed on the applicator tubes. The legitimate Advantage products all
contain applicator tubes that are printed in English. The most obvious sign of a counterfeit product is
that the applicator tubes are printed in a foreign language (most likely French or German).
The legitimate applicator tubes include the EPA Registration Number, the signal word WARNING, and
the child hazard warning (Keep Out of Reach of Children). Counterfeit applicator tubes may lack this
information.
Advantage applicator tube
Legitimate applicator tubes will also include a reference statement that refers users to the main
labeling for directions for use and will include the manufacturing company's name (Bayer).
Counterfeit applicator tubes may lack this information.
Legitimate applicator tubes will contain an active ingredient statement that agrees with the active
ingredient statement on the retail carton (9.1% imidacloprid). A counterfeit product may have an
active ingredient statement that differs (such as 10%).
Is there a penalty for purchasing the counterfeit products?
For individual consumers, there is no penalty for purchasing a counterfeit product. Penalties only
apply to persons who distribute or sell counterfeit products. However, purchasing a counterfeit
pesticide may place you and your family at risk. For example, first-aid treatment directions may not be
immediately available in case of an emergency. Further, a child may be harmed if he or she is able to
open a package that is not child-resistant. Thus, EPA is recommending that consumers dispose of
product that has been discovered to be counterfeit.
I discovered that a dog product was contained in a package intended for use on cats. Will
my cat be harmed if I apply the product to it?
If you discover inconsistencies like this, do not use it. EPA encourages consumers to dispose of
counterfeit pesticides they may have inadvertently purchased.
How should I dispose of a counterfeit product?
If you discover that you have one of the counterfeit products, you should contact your local solid
waste agency* for information on proper disposal in your community. Your local government may
recommend that you take the product to a household hazardous waste collection program. If allowed
by your local government, you may put the counterfeit product in your trash. You may also contact an
organization named Earth 911 at 1-800-CLEANUP or http://www.earth911.org/ to obtain community
disposal information.
* To identify your local solid waste agency, look in the government section of your phone book under
categories such as solid waste, public works, or garbage, trash or refuse collection.
Who should I contact if I discover the counterfeit products in a store?
You should notify the store staff. You may also alert EPA to counterfeit products by visiting the
Agency's Web site at www.epa.gov/compliance/complaints.html for enforcement matters or by
contacting the Agency's regional office serving your state. See
http://www.epa.gov/pesticides/local/index.htm to determine which office serves your state.
Who can I contact if I suspect that my pet has been harmed by one of these counterfeit
products?
First, contact your veterinarian for medical assistance and advice. In addition, the National Pesticide
Information Center (NPIC) is an EPA-sanctioned toll-free helpline designed to assist in providing
answers to most questions regarding pesticides and pesticide poisonings. You can reach NPIC at
1-800-858-7378, daily from 6:30 a.m.- 4:30 p.m. (PT). NPIC also has a Web site with comprehensive
pesticide information at http://npic.orst.edu/.
Will EPA's action mean that these counterfeit products will no longer be available?
EPA is continuing to pursue this issue. Unfortunately, it is likely that counterfeit and other illegal
products may still be available. You should be careful when purchasing products such as these to
look for the indicators described above. In addition to the counterfeited products described above,
other illegal versions of these products may be available, including the following:
foreign labeled product with stickers containing some U.S. information
foreign-labeled products.
These illegal products pose potential risks related to units of measure that are unfamiliar to U.S.
consumers, lack of child-resistant packaging, lack of precautionary statements, and the potential for
the pesticide itself to be other than what is indicated on the carton.
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