counterfeit drugs | Imamother

proudmom

Thu, May 05 2005, 10:28 am

MANILA, Philippines (AP) - The World Health Organization said Tuesday it will launch the first web-based system for tracking counterfeit drugs, which account for up to 10 per cent of medicine on the world market.

WHO noted that a 2001 study in Southeast Asia's Mekong region showed that more than one-third of antimalaria artesunate products in Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand and Vietnam contained no active ingredients, and the situation worsened last year, with 99 out of 188 samples found to be fake.

Fake drugs are estimated to generate almost $44 billion Cdn in sales a year, WHO said, and the problem is most serious in developing countries.

The Rapid Alert System, to be launched this week in Manila, will transmit reports on the distribution of fake medicine to national authorities so they can take rapid action.

"We hope that the Rapid Alert System will considerably strengthen our hand against the counterfeiters," said Dr. Budiono Santoso, WHO's regional adviser in pharmaceuticals for the Western Pacific region. "Rapid communication and efficient exchange of information are crucial to combating counterfeiting."

The agency said national health authorities and other partners will be linked to the system.