WHO Health agency reveals scourge of fake drugs in developing world

Data on the issue had until now been scant, because there was no mechanism to track the problem. The WHO set up a global system to report inferior medicines in 2013, tracking drugs that are deliberately fraudulent, fail to meet quality standards, or which have not been evaluated or authorized for market. These medications are often referred as counterfeit drugs, but the agency stopped using the term in May to shift the focus from intellectual-property issues to public health. The cases captured so far are probably just the tip of the iceberg. Learn More.

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Fake Pills, Long Waits, Few Doctors: 5 Start-ups Trying to Improve Health Care Around the World

A lack of qualified health professionals, and lack of access to that limited pool, is a major issue in the developing world. The World Health Organization estimates that Africa averages 1.3 doctors and nurses per thousand people; the U.N.’s goal calls for 4.5 doctors per thousand people. A 2017 study estimated that by 2030, the demand will require 80 million health professionals, but that the supply will only reach 65 million — and the worst places hit in the future, as now, will be low- and middle-income countries. Learn More.

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FIP combats falsified and substandard medicines

FIP has been speaking out against counterfeit medicines for over 20 years. We believe that pharmacists, pharmaceutical scientists and educators can be a vital asset in assuring the safety of patients through their active participation in the fight against these products. As the final member of the pharmaceutical distribution chain as well as often being supply chain managers, pharmacists are key in combating counterfeit medicines. The commitment of the profession is visible through our Statement of Policy on Counterfeit Medicines. This key document is a strong political message from the pharmacy profession in support of the fight against fake medicines. Learn More.

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GLOBAL Counterfeit Pain Medication: The Other Epidemic

Prescribers must educate their patients about the risks of ingesting substandard or illegitimate drugs.

Over the past few years, there have been countless headlines surrounding the growth of counterfeit pain medication, but not all healthcare providers may realize how this underground drug situation may impact their practices. As a result of counterfeiting, the following are examples of compounds that patients in the United States and around the world may be involuntarily and unknowingly ingesting. Learn More.

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GLOBAL  Governments urged to tackle scourge of fake drugs

Governments are being urged to to crack down on the trade in fake and shoddy drugs which is thought to be killing hundreds of thousands of people every year. Now, a group of organisations including the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine and the Harvard Global Health Institute have urged governments and law enforcement agencies to take a tougher line on the criminal organisations and companies that are flooding the market with these drugs. Learn More.