Meds-on-a-Mission Blog: February 2020

AIMING to bring Healing . Health . Hope to Millions by Increasing AWARENESS of Fake Therapies & their Consequences, focusing on ADVOCACY and Partnerships to Address this Epidemic, while Supporting ACCESS to Effective and Affordable Medications.

February 2020: Each issue highlights events involving the ongoing challenges associated with the epidemic of fake medications worldwide, the efforts being taken to combat this epidemic, and efforts to increase access to safe and effective medications.

Click here for previous blogs

I. AWARENESS: This month's issue showcases areas where there are challenges associated with taking fake, substandard, & counterfeit medications and the consequences

Click Here for Previous Articles on Fake and Counterfeit Therapies

AFRICA

Seven arrested in operation against fake animal drugs in western Uganda

The suspects are accused of falsifying and selling unregistered Tick Burn Spray to dairy farmers in the districts of Kyenjonjo, Bushenyi, Mbarara, Kiruhura, Kazo, Ntungamo and Rukungiri.

Low medicine quality, bane of health care

A new study published in the ‘JAMA Network Open Journal’ found that close to 19 per cent of all medicines in sub-Saharan Africa, including Nigeria, are either fake or substandard. However, experts said closing various open drug markets around the country could help the efforts of the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) in reducing the prevalence of falsified medicines as well as improving the quality of drugs in circulation.

Fake Postinor-2 causes post Valentine panic

Days after Valentine’s Day. In this side of the world, the morning after pill or Postinor 2 (commonly referred to as P2), is likely to have as many buyers as those jostling for red roses. Whereas those who bought roses may have ended up with lasting memories, the P2 buyers could end up in everlasting regret. The city has been flooded with fake Postinor 2 pills, an investigation by The Kampala Sun can reveal.

EUROPE

A quarter of street drugs are fake and dangerous to users

As overdose deaths rise, many buyers don’t know strength or content of what they buy

The dangers of fake drugs

When you buy from your local pharmacy or receive your prescription, you know that you're getting a medicine that has been rigorously tested and found to be safe and beneficial for your condition. However, when you buy from some online retailers or from an unlicensed supplier, there's no guarantee that what you're buying will be real.

We buy medicines with the expectation that they'll help us feel better. But a growing market of fake medicines, test kits and medical devices is putting all of us at risk.

Tourism in Lisbon suffering because of fake drugs, say cops

Lisbon is suffering from the problem of fake drugs, which has come to light recently. Being the capital of Portugal, the city receives tourists from across the globe. But now the country’s government is quite worried about their otherwise booming tourism. They fear that fake drugs might just drive the tourists away from the country, along with tarnishing the city’s image on the world map.

NORTH AMERICA

Reducing Counterfeiting with Technology

Imagine a teeny-tiny computer chip about the thickness of the human cornea (500 microns) that can prevent counterfeiting currency, protect people fake (and perhaps, lethal) pharmaceuticals and identify luxury goods, and even help chefs to track and trace food throughout the entire supply chain.

The San Benito County Opioid Task Force held a town hall at the Veterans Memorial Building in Hollister to inform the public of the area’s opioid crisis.

Speakers included members of law enforcement, government officials, emergency room caregivers and the mother of an addict who shared her struggles in an emotional speech.

An Amazon spokesperson confirmed to KARE 11 that the online retailer has removed allegedly counterfeit pet medication products from its website.

KARE 11 inquired about the products following a Facebook post by the Lakeville Family Pet Clinic, warning its customers about suspected counterfeit versions of Heartgard heartworm medication being sold on Amazon.

Stanford student died from accidental fentanyl overdose, coroner confirms

Overdose is part of 'uptick' in county over the past year, as communities across the nation continue to grapple with rise of counterfeit drugs. The confirmation comes amid reports of accidental fentanyl overdoses on college campuses across the country and an uptick in overdoses in Santa Clara County.

II. ADVOCACY: The following global advocacy activities and partnerships, addressing the fake / counterfeit medication crisis and medication challenges

Click Here for Ongoing Worldwide Efforts

AFRICA

How to improve access to safe, effective, cheap drugs

Elijah N. A. Mohammed is a consultant pharmacist and the Registrar/Secretary to the Governing Council, Pharmacists Council of Nigeria (PCN). Mohammed in this interview with The Guardian among other things gave a blueprint on how to improve access to safe, effective and affordable drugs as well as reduce incidences of counterfeiting. He, however, said weak laws and regulations, inadequate personnel, logistics, and funding are the major obstacles faced by the Council towards meeting its mandate.

NAFDAC seeks support to host African Medicine Quality Forum

The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration (NAFDAC) has sought Nigerians support in delivering safe and quality medicines. The goal is to build and strengthen the capacity of African countries in medicines quality control and regional post marketing surveillance which in turn will contribute significantly to reducing substandard and falsified medical products in circulation in the African markets.

African Governments Partner To Combat Trafficking Of Fake Medicines

Around 42 percent of all fake medicines reported to the World Health Organization between 2013 and 2017 were from Africa. Counterfeit medicines are a serious public health problem for the people of Africa, with an estimated 100,000 people dying every year in Africa as a result of fake medicines.

ASIA

Kerala cops nab gang of quacks a month after mercury poisoning leaves many hospitalised

The group, from Khammam in Telangana, had posed as healers and sold counterfeit drugs to several patients in Kollam.

Blockchain This Week: Blockchain Deployed To Track Drugs And Hemp; XPay.Life Comes To India & More

20% of all pharmaceutical goods sold in the Indian market are counterfeit

FedEx, GSK, Walmart, Pfizer and others have adopted blockchain to track prescription drugs

XIPHIAS launches a new blockchain-based platform called XPay.Life

NORTH AMERICA

A Plan to Use Blockchain to Stop Counterfeit Drugs Moves Forward

A host of major healthcare companies and drug retailers are collaborating on a system to combat fake drugs. The MediLedger Project -- a working group whose members include two dozen of the largest companies involved in healthcare -- submitted its final report to the Food and Drug Administration for a pilot project that will use blockchain to secure the pharmaceutical supply chain.

III. ACCESS: Entities making a difference by finding ways to provide safe and effective medications to all

Click Here for additional information on access safe therapies

AFRICA

How to improve access to safe, effective, cheap drugs

Elijah N. A. Mohammed is a consultant pharmacist and the Registrar/Secretary to the Governing Council, Pharmacists Council of Nigeria (PCN). Mohammed in this interview with The Guardian among other things gave a blueprint on how to improve access to safe, effective and affordable drugs as well as reduce incidences of counterfeiting. He, however, said weak laws and regulations, inadequate personnel, logistics, and funding are the major obstacles faced by the Council towards meeting its mandate.

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MEDS ON A MISSION – We AIM to bring Healing . Health . Hope to Millions Through Increased AWARENESS of Fake Therapies & their Consequences, Continued Focus on ADVOCACY and Efforts to Address This Epidemic, and Identifying ACCESS opportunities to Effective and Affordable Medications. If you are aware of any efforts going on in the above areas, please forward that information to medsonamission@gmail.com