Rights watch raises concern over President Jammeh’s HIV/AIDS “cure”

March 5, 2008

Dakar, Senegal – The United Nations and its member states are failing to address serious threats to life and health posed by the promotion of unproven AIDS 'cures' and by counterfeit antiretroviral drugs," a global rights body, Human Rights Watch, stated in a recently released dossier. In the dossier, titled "Dangerous medicines: Unproven AIDS cures…

Nigeria: Campaign On Danger of Fake Drugs Kicks-Off in Jabi Motor Park

February 29, 2008

The evil of fake drugs have been described as worse than the combined scourge of malaria, HIV/AIDS and armed robbery put together because they can be prevented or they kill few at a time but fake drugs kill en mass. Secretary of the FCT Task Force on Counterfeit and Fake Drugs, Hajia Hauwa Kulu Ibrahim,…

Today’s Subcommittee Hearing

February 28, 2008

Today the House Appropriation's Committee's Subcommittee on Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies held a hearing on drug safety. You can view the Partnership for Safe Medicines' thoughts on the matter here.

Nigeria: Fake Drugs More Vicious Than HIV/Aids – Task Force

February 24, 2008

In its determination to eradicate the sale of fake drugs in the country, the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Taskforce on Counterfeit and Fake Drugs (TFC&FD) has called on the public to desist from buying drugs from unregistered pharmacists stressing that "fake drugs are more vicious than the scourge of malaria and HIV/AIDS." Making the call…

Burkina Faso: Government Inaction Spurs Consumption of Counterfeit Drugs

February 21, 2008

One in five pharmaceutical drugs bought in Ouagadougou is counterfeit and sold on the street with no prescription and no expiry date, according to the Ministry of Health. Despite laws banning the practice, the government has lost control of the industry and the unregulated drug market continues to expand, with damaging health consequences, fear doctors…

Kenya: Citizens At Highest Risk of Taking Fake Drugs

February 15, 2008

Kenyans have been listed among African consumers at highest risk of exposure to counterfeit drugs. Findings of a recent study on the drugs market presented at the ongoing pan-African conference in South Africa indicates that many African governments lack the necessary mechanisms to curb the sale of counterfeit medicines. "The responsibility of combating counterfeits should…

African Stakeholders Meet on Counterfeit Drugs

February 14, 2008

An international conference to discuss counterfeit medicines in Africa, started this week in Johannesburg. The aim of the conference, which is sponsored by Pfizer, is for representatives from sub-Saharan countries to discuss threats that counterfeit medicines and unregistered generics pose for the safety of patients in this region and to develop joint plans of action…

Kenya: Crack Down On Makers of Fake Drugs

January 10, 2008

UN health and crime agencies say counterfeit drugs are killing people from China to Canada and they "promote the development of new strains of viruses, parasites and bacteria … for example in the case of malaria or HIV." And in many countries their manufacture and distribution is not even illegal. The United Nations Inter-regional Crime…

The Bahamas – Not Just a Vacation Spot Anymore

December 17, 2007

The ongoing New York Times series "A Toxic Pipeline" continues to shed light on the complex routes that counterfeit drugs take before being sold by Internet pharmacies, many of which purport legitimacy with Canadian, British or Australian websites.

IMPACT-ing Prescription Drug Safety

December 12, 2007

In February 2006, the World Health Organization launched the International Medical Products Anti-Counterfeiting Taskforce (IMPACT) to build coordinated efforts between countries to address the great deal of harm from fake medicines around the globe.