 WHO Launches Drive Versus Fake Drugs
Says they compromise health programs
By Deborah Haynes
Agence-France Presse
GENEVA
The World Health Organization has launched a campaign to stop the proliferation of fake drugs, which can be useless, harmful, or even deadly.
Up to 25 percent of medicines consumed in developing nations-often to treat life-threatening conditions such as malaria, tuberculosis and AIDS-are believed to be counterfeit or substandard, the WHO said.
The problem is also widespread in richer countries where one of the best selling fakes is Viagra, which can easily be bought on the Internet, it warned.
The agency has enlisted the help of the Interpol to tackle the multi-million dollar problem of counterfeit medicines particularly in Southeast Asia.
Fake medicines are a growing problem in the Mekong countries of Cambodia, China, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand, and Vietnam, where they undermine health programs, according to WHO.
"The fakes are often copies of drugs that are vital in the treatment of important diseases such as malaria, tuberculosis and childhood illnesses," said Dr. Budiono Santoso, WHO pharmaceutical advisor at its Western Pacific Regional office in Manila. "When used, the fake products may jeopardize treatment, or even lead to death, as in many instances, they do not contain correct and sufficient ingredients."
"Combating low quality or illegal medicines is now more important then ever," said who director general Lee Jong-wook. "Expanding access to safe, effective treatment for AIDS and other illnesses is no longer an option, it is an imperative," he said.
Ten Percent of Global Market
Of the one million deaths that occur worldwide from malaria every year, as many as 200,000 would be avoidable if the medicines available were of good quality and used correctly, said WHO technical officer Clive Ondari.
The US Food and Drug Administration estimated that fake drugs alone comprise more than 10 percent of the global medicine market, generating annual sales of more than US$32 billion.
A WHO survey between January 1999 and October 2000 found that 60 percent of fake medicine cases occurred in developing countries and 40 percent in industrialized nations.
"The problem is growing worldwide due to the dropping of trade barriers," explained WHO spokeswoman Daniela Bagozzi. "Also fake medicines are easy to produce," she said, noting how simple it was to put flour into a capsule and pass it off as medicine.
WHO warned that most production of counterfeit drugs takes place in people's backyard rather than in large warehouses. "Counterfeiting of medicines is a hugely lucrative business due to high demand and low production costs," the organization said.
"The absence of deterrent legislation in many countries also encourages counterfeiters since there is no fear of being apprehended or prosecuted."
WHO's campaign aims to strengthen legislation against counterfeiting, strengthen surveillance measures, and increase public awareness to the dangers.
"Many tools exist to improve medicines' quality control and supply systems," said Vladimir Lepakhin, head of health technology and pharmaceuticals at WHO. "The problem is one of resources. Most of the countries with the lowest quality pharmaceuticals are also the ones with the highest disease burden and the poorest economies," he said.
Access to drugs over the Internet was another area of concern, especially in richer countries where there is a strong demand for expensive lifestyle medicines such as hormones and steroids the, WHO said.
"People are able to market these products through these channels, which can easily elude the regulatory agencies," Ondari said.
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