Kenya Fights Counterfeit Drugs

Bryan A. Liang, MD, PhD, JD

Counterfeit drugs are a scourge that spans continents and patients everywhere.  Sadly however, some of the most vulnerable countries such as Kenya have been deeply impacted by the problem.  The World Health Organization reports that a survey performed by the National Quality Control Laboratories and the Pharmacy and Poisons Board found that almost 30 percent of drugs in Kenya are counterfeit, harming thousands of patients and representing a tremendous public health problem.  In addition, a 2006 estimate indicates that counterfeit drug sales account for approximately $130 million annually in sales.  Importantly, these fakes are believed to contribute to at least 200,000 of the 2.7 million deaths caused by malaria each year in Africa.

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