The Last Run: A Counterfeit Story

In 2000, I was diagnosed with HIV Wasting Syndrome. I failed on initial treatments and was eligible for a form of human growth hormone. My insurance company approved a 12-month supply. I injected the medicine every day, and it worked.

After six months, I developed a stinging sensation at the injection site. This had not happened before. I also noticed a few other slight changes. The package appeared a darker shade of blue. The powder, usually looking like a white powder pellet in the bottom of the vial, appeared to have broken apart. None of this was alarming, but I made a mental note to ask the pharmacist.