A comprehensive analysis of selected medicines collected from private drug outlets of Dhaka city, Bangladesh in a simple random survey

Abstract

Comprehensive data are needed to prevent substandard and falsified (SF) medicines as they pose a major risk to human health. To assess the quality of selected medicines, samples were collected from random private drug outlets of Dhaka North and South City Corporation, Bangladesh. Sample analysis included visual observation of the packaging, authenticity of the samples, legitimacy and registration verification of the manufacturer, physicochemical analysis, and price. Chemical analysis of the samples was performed using a portable Raman spectroscopy and high-performance liquid chromatography according to the pharmacopoeia. Several discrepancies were noted in the visual observation of samples. Among the 189 collected samples of esomeprazole (ESM), cefixime (CFIX), and amoxicillin-clavulanic acid (CVA-AMPC), 21.2% were confirmed to be authentic, 91.3% manufacturers were confirmed legitimate, and 2.1% of all samples were unregistered. Chemical analysis of the samples revealed that 9.5% (95% CI 5.7–14.6) of samples were SFs. Falsified samples and quality variation in the same generic branded samples were both detected by Raman spectroscopic analysis. Overall, sample prices were satisfactory relative to the international reference price. This study documents the availability of poor-quality medicines, demonstrating the need for immediate attention by the national medicine regulatory authority.

Prevalence of Poor Quality Ciprofloxacin and Metronidazole Tablets in Three Cities in Cameroon

“…30,31 However, it was close to that of Sch€ afermann et al (10%) for ciprofloxacin and metronidazole exclusively in a study conducted in Cameroon and DRC. 32 It was also approaching those found by Petersen et al 33 (7.1%) in Cameroon, Rahman et al 34 in Bangladesh (9.5%) and to the WHO global prevalence for the class of antibiotics and other antiinfective medicines (7.2%). 5 In fact, the problem could be more serious than it seemed as the present study only included two antiinfective medicines, a single pharmaceutical form, and a single dosage in three cities in Cameroon.…”

Surveillance for substandard and falsified medicines by local faith-based organizations in 13 low- and middle-income countries using the GPHF Minilab

“…Similar percentages of falsified medicines as in the present study have been reported in previous studies in LMICs, carrying out compendial analysis for all samples. e.g., Rahman et al 47 found 1.1% falsified samples in Bangladesh, and Hauk et al 31 found 1.7% in Cameroon and the DR Congo. No falsified medicines were found by Seitzer et al 48 among 88 samples from Burkina Faso, Cote d’Ivoire, Ghana and Tanzania.…”

A comprehensive quality control and cost comparison study of branded and generic angiotensin receptor blockers

“…As a result, the effective management of hypertension can impose significant financial strain on patients, potentially leading to dire consequences if the quality of the prescribed medications is compromised ( Al-Makki et al, 2022 ). Maintaining the quality of medications consistently poses a challenge for all involved stakeholders, including drug regulatory authorities, manufacturers, and patients on a global scale ( Pharmaceuticals & Medical Devices Bureau of India, 2023 , Rahman et al, 2022 , Kingori et al, 2019 , Newton et al, 2010 ). Manufacturers diligently strive to adhere to the standards set by regulatory authorities, aiming to ensure the optimal quality of their pharmaceutical products.…”