BRAZIL · HEALTH
Key Facts
- —What is happening Anvisa banned two Amazon listings of Accu-Chek Active glucose strips, calling them falsified, in a resolution signed Tuesday, 20 October and published Thursday, 22 October.
- —Why it matters Wrong blood sugar readings matter to people with diabetes. Roche, however, says the strips are genuine lots sold illegally, not fakes.
- —The numbers The resolution, number RE 4,143 of 2026, covers two listings: one for a 50-strip box and one for a 100-strip kit.
- —Who is who Anvisa is Brazil’s counterpart to the US Food and Drug Administration. Roche Diabetes Care Brasil, the maker’s local unit, alerted the regulator.
- —What to watch Whether Amazon removes the listings and comments, and whether Anvisa or Roche add details on the two lots.
- —Power Index Brazil ranks 1st of 14 in The Rio Times Latin America Power Index, with 75.0 points (October 2026 edition).
- —What it means for you Buy glucose strips only from licensed pharmacies or official platform stores; no penalty on Amazon or Roche has been announced.
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Brazil has banned two Amazon listings of Accu-Chek Active strips that Anvisa calls falsified. Roche says the lots were diverted, not faked.
Brazil’s health regulator, Anvisa, has banned two Amazon listings of Accu-Chek Active glucose test strips, calling the products falsified. The measure was published in the Diário Oficial da União, the official gazette, on Thursday, 22 October.
It matters beyond Brazil because Amazon and Swiss drugmaker Roche are familiar to US readers. Roche disputes the word counterfeit and says the strips are genuine stock sold illegally.
What the Resolution Bans
Resolution RE 4,143 is dated Tuesday, 20 October 2026, according to Agência Brasil, the public news agency. Poder360, a Brasília news site, reported that it was signed by an acting manager in Anvisa’s inspection unit.
It covers products sold in two Amazon listings: a pack of 50 Accu-Chek Active strips and a 100-strip kit. Poder360 reported that it bans their sale, distribution, manufacture, import, advertising and use.
Roche’s statement, quoted by Agência Brasil and Poder360, names two lots, 29533831 and 29534131. Diário do Pará, a regional paper, reported that the ban does not cover genuine strips sold regularly in Brazil.
How the Strips Were Spotted
Anvisa said Roche Diabetes Care Brasil, the maker’s local unit, found strips differing from the originals in two Amazon listings. Roche told Poder360 it found the sales itself and notified Anvisa immediately.
Anvisa said the items lacked the original outer packaging and carried the English phrase “ONLY FOR GOVERNMENT TENDER”. The phrase means the strips were meant exclusively for public tenders.
What Roche and Amazon Say
Roche said in a statement that nothing confirms the strips are counterfeit, because their identification data match its originals. It said the two lots were meant only for public tenders and were diverted without its knowledge.
Roche said the lots were sold illegally at retail through e-commerce, without the original outer packaging. Amazon Brasil had not replied to Poder360 when it published, and Agência Brasil said it was still seeking Amazon’s comment.
Why Counterfeit Test Strips Matter
People with diabetes use test strips to check blood sugar and to decide on food, exercise and insulin. Diário do Pará reported that unreliable strips can give inaccurate readings and compromise diabetes monitoring.
Anvisa’s resolution, as reported, does not describe any confirmed harm to users. No reporting seen names patients affected in Brazil.
A Separate US Case Involving Roche and Amazon
Roche filed a complaint in a federal court in Brooklyn on 20 May 2024 against India-based sellers of Accu-Chek products on Amazon. It alleged that the strips were expired or near-expired stock removed from original packaging.
Roche alleged that fake strips could give “false or inaccurate measurements” of blood glucose and were stored in Amazon warehouses. Amazon was not a defendant, and these are allegations, not court findings, in a case separate from Brazil.
What It Means for US Readers
Roche advises buying Accu-Chek products only from authorized channels, such as official platform stores and accredited pharmacies, and checking the packaging. US citizens who live in Brazil or visit can follow the same advice.
For investors, no penalty on Amazon or Roche has been reported, so this is a compliance signal, not a financial event. Roche trades in Switzerland, and Amazon is listed in New York.
Related reading includes the guide to education and healthcare in Brazil and the guide to healthcare for foreigners. The Mexican counterfeit medicines alert shows a similar case, and the Brazil hub lists more coverage.
What Is Not Known
It is not known who sold the strips, how many were sold, or whether Amazon or outside merchants listed them. The resolution as reported gives no price, sales volume or number of buyers.
Anvisa calls the strips falsified while Roche says they are genuine lots sold illegally, and the dispute is unresolved. It is unknown whether the listings are still online.
The signing official’s role comes from Poder360 alone. The gazette text itself could not be opened for this report.
What Comes Next
Watch for Amazon’s response, further Roche statements and any Anvisa follow-up, such as action on the listings or sellers. Anvisa publishes its resolutions in the Diário Oficial da União.
The ban does not mean all Accu-Chek strips in Brazil are fake, and it does not mean Amazon faces a penalty. It covers only the products in the two listings named.
Frequently Asked Questions
What did Anvisa ban on 22 October?
Anvisa banned Accu-Chek Active glucose strips sold in two Amazon listings, which it calls falsified. The resolution was published in the official gazette on Thursday, 22 October.
Are all Accu-Chek strips in Brazil fake?
No, the ban covers only the products in the two listings named. Diário do Pará reported that it excludes genuine strips sold in Brazil.
Are the strips counterfeit?
Anvisa calls them falsified, citing missing outer packaging and an English tender-only marking. Roche says they are genuine lots diverted from public tenders and sold illegally.
How were the strips identified?
Roche Diabetes Care Brasil found strips unlike the originals in two Amazon listings and alerted Anvisa. They lacked the original outer packaging and carried the phrase “ONLY FOR GOVERNMENT TENDER”.
Has anyone been harmed?
The resolution as reported describes no confirmed harm. Wrong readings are a known risk of unreliable strips, but no patient cases have been reported.
Does this affect Amazon shoppers in the United States?
No US action was announced. Roche sued India-based sellers in New York in 2024, and that case is separate.
Sources: Agência Brasil, 22 October; Poder360, 22 October; Diário do Pará, 22 October; Cidadão Consumidor, 22 October; Roche complaint, U.S. District Court, Eastern District of New York, case 1:24-cv-03625, filed 20 May 2024 (all accessed 23 October 2026). The Diário Oficial da União page for Resolution RE 4,143 could not be opened for this report.
This article was drafted with automated assistance and reviewed before publication. How we use AI · Report an error · Editorial responsibility: Matthias Camenzind, Editor-in-Chief