Introduction

The problem of Drug

Counterfeiting is as old as
civilization.
17th century Cinchona bark was
being faked
Drug counterfeiting has
assumed such an alarming rate
that it is now being perceived to
be a Public Health hazard that
merits Global attention

Definition
According to Blacks Dictionary

the term counterfeit drug refers

to a drug made by someone
other than the genuine
manufacturer, by copying or
imitating an original product
without Authority or Right, with
a view to deceive or defraud and
marketing the product as the
original

 W.H.O. has come out with a

definition to guide national drug

regulatory authorities:
A COUNTERFEIT MEDICINE IS
ONE WHICH IS DELIBERATELY
AND FRAUDULENTLY
MISLABELLED with respect to
identity and or source

Contd.
Counterfeiting can apply to

both BRANDED and GENERIC

products and these may
include products with
the CORRECT ingredients,
or with the WRONG active
ingredients
without ACTIVE ingredients,
INSUFFICIENT ACTIVE ingredients
FAKE PACKAGING.

W.H.O. Figures
Some figures presented by

W.H.O. indicate the extent of

the problem:
1992-1994 survey uncovered 51% of
counterfeited drugs with no active ingredient.
25% of medicines in developing countries
counterfeited or sub-standard
FDA reported 1 in 10 medicines sold
worldwide was fake with no medical effect.

Contd.
233 children died from consumption of

Paracetamol syrup containing anti-freeze in

Bangladesh (1992)
2,500 children died after being inoculated
with counterfeited C.S.M. vaccine (1995)

Factors Encouraging
Counterfeiting of Drugs
Medicines are high value items for both
curative and preventive health care.
Demand for medicine is infinite.
Ingredients for producing counterfeit drugs
cheaper.
No infrastructure;
No quality assurance;
High margins of cost.

1.

Lack of Political Will And

Commitment

2.

Lack of Appropriate Drug

Legislation

3.

Absence of or Weak Drug

Regulation

4.

Weak Enforcement and Penal

Sanctions.

Illegal Trading in
pharmaceuticals: by Geof
Power,GlaxoSmithKline
Franchising
Parallel trading

 Diversion or illegal trading

Counterfeiting

Counterfeiting

 Corruption and conflict of interest

demand exceeding supply

 high prices of medicines

inefficient co-operation between

stakeholders

 lack of regulation by exporting

countries and within free trade zones

Trade through several intermediaries

 substitution
adulteration and re-use

Impact on Public Health

Treatment failures

Loss of confidence in health care providers

Waste of resources (both patient &

government)

Low productivity

Conclusion
Create public awareness
Educate public on detection
Tracing and tracking by authorities (SPOKE & WHEEL)
Severer sanctions for counterfeiters
Manufacturers must be held liable for third party injuries

resulting from counterfeited drugs.

THANK YOU