Spurious and counterfeit drugs: a growing industry in the developing world
- 1 May 2009
- journal article
- review article
- Published by Oxford University Press (OUP)
- Vol. 85 (1003), 251-256
- https://doi.org/10.1136/pgmj.2008.073213
Abstract
Spread of spurious/counterfeit/substandard drugs is a modern day menace which has been recognised internationally, especially so in developing countries. The problem assumes added significance in view of rapid globalisation. The market of spurious and counterfeit drugs is a well-organised, white collar crime. Poverty, high cost of medicines, lack of an official supply chain, legislative lacunae, easy accessibility to computerised printing technology, ineffective law enforcement machinery, and light penalties provide the counterfeiters with an enormous economic incentive without much risk. The consequences of the use of such medicines may vary from therapeutic failure to the occurrence of serious adverse events and even death. Proper drug quality monitoring, enforcement of laws and legislation, an effective and efficient regulatory environment, and awareness and vigilance on part of all stakeholders can help tackle this problem.Keywords
This publication has 10 references indexed in Scilit:
- Counterfeit anti-infective drugsThe Lancet Infectious Diseases, 2006
- The Global Threat of Counterfeit Drugs: Why Industry and Governments Must Communicate the DangersPLoS Medicine, 2005
- Counterfeit DrugsNew England Journal of Medicine, 2004
- Drug regulators study global treaty to tackle counterfeit drugsBMJ, 2004
- Counterfeit Pharmaceuticals: Current Status and Future ProjectionsJournal of the American Pharmacists Association, 2003
- India's trade in fake drugs-bringing the counterfeiters to bookThe Lancet, 2001
- Pharmacopoeial quality of drugs supplied by Nigerian pharmaciesThe Lancet, 2001
- Fake artesunate in southeast AsiaThe Lancet, 2001
- Antimalarial drug resistance and combination chemotherapyPhilosophical Transactions Of The Royal Society B-Biological Sciences, 1999
- Letter from Bombay. An unmitigated tragedy.BMJ, 1988