Counterfeit and Stolen Medicine Found in Liberia’s Markets
Liberian researchers have found that more than 50% of antibiotic, antimalarial and pain relief medication are counterfeit or substandard.
Liberia Medicines and Health Products Regulatory Authority officials collected 115 samples of common medications from public markets in Monrovia and tested them using the Global Pharma Health Fund’s Minilab.
Some medications were found to have no active pharmaceutical ingredients, and others failed basic visual inspection.
Pictured below are some of the findings.
Test results showed that Colquine, an oral quinine solution, contained no active pharmaceutical ingredients.
Test results showed that Artesunate, anti-malarial tablets, contained no active pharmaceutical ingredients.
Artemether is an injectable medication used for severe malaria. These ampoules made by a registered importer contain different colors, different volums, and the presence of particles and cloudy solution.