How to Spot a Fake Dragon Pharma Vial

The Cap And The Crimp

The flip cap on a genuine vial sits flush and turns with even resistance. A copy usually shows a cap that sits proud, rocks when you press the edge, or spins too freely. Look at the aluminium crimp ring underneath: it should be evenly set all the way round, with no gap between ring and glass.

The Label Print

Counterfeit labels fail on print quality more often than on design. Look for soft edges on the fine text, a logo that is slightly off register, or a colour band that does not sit square to the label edge. Run a thumbnail across the text: genuine print is crisp, copies smear or feel raised.

The Batch And Expiry

These should be applied in the same way as each other, whether printed or dot matrix stamped, and they should be legible without effort. If the batch is printed but the expiry is handwritten, that is a rebuild, not a product.

The Fill Level

Vials are filled to a consistent line. Short fills are one of the most common tells, because underfilling is free money for a counterfeiter.

The Seal

The stopper should be clean and undamaged, with no needle tracks through it. A vial that has been drawn from and resealed is not new stock.

The Source

This is the check that actually settles it. Buy from a real distributor that can be verified, and inspect the vial when it arrives. If you are buying from an unknown source, no amount of label inspection will save you, because the labels are the part counterfeiting does best.