Counterfeit drugs: defining the problem and finding solutions

Abstract

The problem of counterfeit drugs is increasingly becoming a top priority of drug regulatory agencies, licit pharmaceutical manufacturers and healthcare professionals, and is of rising concern among consumers. A review of the current literature reveals that counterfeiting is no longer isolated in developing nations, but is a worldwide pandemic. Although international organisations such as the World Health Organization, have devised specific measures to combat the counterfeit trade, the problem still remains quite daunting. Although the practice of drug counterfeiting is unlikely to ever completely disappear, it may be controlled if governments and all relevant parties combine forces to identify and disrupt the counterfeit chain.

Medicine Procurement in hospital pharmacies in Nepal: A qualitative study based on the Basel Statements

“…A survey by WHO showed that the majority (63%) of counterfeit medicines came from East Asian countries, with India (which is a neighboring country of Nepal) being the leader of counterfeit medicines production (35%) [16]. Such problems are more common in developing countries like Nepal because of their weak regulatory policies and enforcement capacities as compared to developed countries with strong enforcement of regulatory policies and more transparent supply chains [17].…”

“…Although most procurement officers aimed to procure registered medicines to ensure quality, a few reported procurement of unregistered medicines through unauthorised supply chains, especially from India, one of the leading countries for counterfeit and substandard medicine production [16]. Procurement of medicines from unauthorized sources raises concerns about the safety and efficacy of medicines.…”

The Negative Impacts of Commercial Concealment on the Performance of Small Businesses in Jeddah Province in Saudi Arabia

“…The drug problem has become a global phenomenon which shall not disappear in the near future (Wertheimer & Santella, 2005). The phenomenon has spread in the Arab Gulf States, especially in the United Arab Emirates (Robins, 2014).…”

Anti-Counterfeit Technologies: A Pharmaceutical Industry Perspective

“…Drug counterfeiting is likely to increase in the future as health care costs continue to rise around the globe. Globalization trends and deregulation continue to open new markets by which demand for pharmaceuticals is likely to increase, and with it the supply of counterfeit drugs [5]. The anti-counterfeiting measures include the methods, techniques, devices, and nanomaterials which aid in the protection of the supply chain of industrial and consumer goods [6].…”