Malaria, caused by a parasite called Plasmodium, which is spread to humans through the bite of an infected female Anopheles mosquito, is a major global public health challenge.
It is estimated that malaria affects more than 200 million people a year, mostly in Asia and Africa. The disease kills over 660,000 people worldwide each year, mostly children. One of the critical issues in malaria is tackling the problem of counterfeit or substandard drugs.
More than one third of malaria drugs available across Southeast Asia and sub-Saharan Africa are either poor quality or fake, said a National Institutes of Health study published last May in The Lancet Infectious Diseases journal.
In order to combat the menace of counterfeit or substandard malaria drugs, a new tool known as Counterfeit Detector Device, Version 3, or CD-3, is to be launched by the FDA.
The CD-3 is a hand-held, electronic device, which has a monitor, cameras, data storage capabilities, and makes use of ultraviolet and infrared light.
The counterfeit drugs and their packaging appear markedly different from authentic products when looked at through this tool that even a layman will be able to spot the difference, says the FDA.
The FDA said that the effectiveness of CD-3 in detecting counterfeit or substandard versions of two common anti-malarial therapies will be first tested in Ghana this year and next. A second testing program is planned in a location yet to be determined.
There is a deal in place with New York-based Corning Inc. to refine and improve the counterfeit detection tool for eventual manufacture on a broader scale.
Every year, April 25 is observed as World Malaria Day. This year's theme is "Invest in the Future: Defeat Malaria", a reminder that's there's still much more to be done even though many countries have made significant progress over the last few years in preventing and controlling malaria.
For comments and feedback contact: editorial@rttnews.com
June 12, 2026 17:14 ET Major central bank action was the focus this week in economic news. The European Central Bank became the first major central bank to move in response to the rising inflationary pressures in the backdrop of the conflict in the Middle East. In North America, the U.S. inflation and trade data as well as Canada’s central bank decision gained attention. The Chinese trade data was the main news in Asia.