Cracking Down on Killer Drugs: Dora Akunyili and the Nigerian Success Story
Counterfeit and substandard medicines pose an increasing threat to global health, especially in the developing world. They kill hundreds of thousands–maybe millions–every year, undermine incentives for research and development for new drugs, and are even beginning to infiltrate North American markets.
What can national governments and concerned individuals do to combat this growing menace? Nigeria offers a powerful model. Prior to 2002, over half the medicines traded in Nigeria were thought to be counterfeit. Today, that number is under 20 percent and falling, a remarkable reversal that owes a great deal to Dora Akunyili.
14 April 2008