The Monster in the Closet – New WHO Report Shines a Light on the Problem of Substandard & Falsified Medicines

The issue of substandard and counterfeit medicines has been known for some time. Since it is not often discussed openly, it is difficult to get an appreciation for the scope of the problem. However, a new WHO report, backed by four years’ worth of data, sheds some light on the matter and gives some guidance on how to identify likely problems and respond to them.

As with any industry, there is a dark and ugly side to the pharmaceutical business. It is a side that industry professionals are acquainted with, but do not talk about in polite society. It is the dark side of substandard and counterfeit (e.g., falsified) medicines.

Even in tightly regulated economies, such as the U.S., it is a widespread and growing problem. One only has to look at the Baxter heparin scandal in 2008 to see the dangers that U.S. drug suppliers can face in an internationalized supply chain.