Be aware of gray market and counterfeiting threats, and take actions to avoid the risks
Gray market and counterfeit dental products are serious global issues that have silently plagued dental professionals around the world. 3M takes patient safety extremley seriously and regards it as our duty to stand up for patient care, and to maintain the highest possible standards of dentistry in face of the threat posed by gray market and counterfeit goods.
How the gray market is jepordising the health of dental patients
As eCommerce continues to become an ever-increasing influence in the dental market, so to in tandam has the gray market, a term commonly used to describe the import and sale of goods by unauthorised dealers. A rise in unscrupulous websites selling supposed 3M dental products have provided easy opportunities for unauthorised 3M products to enter the marketplace, with little or no scrutiny.
These dental products can be difficult to distinguish from authentic ones, and are often tempting to buy, due to a lower price point compared to products sold through a secure supply chain. Using products obtained through the gray market carry significant downsides, including the risk of product failure due to improper storage, delivery or forged expiration dates, not to mention the risk of using inferior quality, counterfeit products.
3M has zero tolerance for any activities that put patient safety and dental practices at risk
3M has a zero tolerance policy in regards to activities that endanger patient safety and put dental practices at risk. We have sophisticated measures in place to prevent gray market and counterfeiting threats and protect our customers including:
- The use of a secured supply chain (authorised distribution channel) to sell and deliver our products to guarantee that dental professionals receive genuine materials and quality products.
- The proactive monitoring of unauthorised sales, used to enforce our intellectual property rights through legal and regulatory actions to deter illegitimate dealers.
- Our partnership with the dental industry and community, which helps us to promote a culture that prevents and rejects gray marketing and counterfeiting.
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