Regulations urgently needed to combat fake medicine trade

When tackling the proliferation of fake or inferior drugs, local innovations and local solutions are key, writes Muhammad Hamid Zaman

AS WE learn more about the threat from substandard and counterfeit medicines, it is becoming clear it is a far greater problem than previously thought. It is also a scourge that is most acutely felt in developing countries, where fake and low-quality pharmaceuticals kill more than 500,000 people a year and affect millions more by contributing to the emergence of diseases that are resistant to existing treatments.

Compounding the problem is the approach taken by policymakers in the developing world, who are far more likely to look for solutions abroad than at home. This shortsightedness is a grave mistake that impedes innovation and progress. When it comes to tackling high-impact health challenges like the proliferation of fake or inferior drugs, local solutions and local innovations are not only likely to be central to any successful effort, they have the potential to provide benefits that go far beyond the scope of the original problem.