New data released by the US National Institutes of Health suggests a large number of anti-malaria drugs circulating in sub-Saharan Africa and Southeast Asia are either fake or of poor quality. The findings, released this week in the online edition of the Lancet, show these medications are hampering the global fight of the epidemic illness.
According to lead researcher Joel Breman of the NIH, as many as 42 percent of anti-malaria drugs are counterfeit or of bad quality. He added the sudden spike could undermine recent progress in controlling the disease.
"Poor quality antimalarial drugs are very likely to jeopardize the unprecedented progress and investments in control and elimination of malaria made in the past decade," Breman said in the report.
Researchers reviewed data from various studies that randomly tested anti-malaria drugs found in the field. Breman added authorities should act quickly against counterfeiters to prevent a flare up in the deadly disease.
"Concurrent interventions and a multifaceted approach are needed to define and eliminate criminal production, distribution, and poor manufacturing of antimalarial drugs. Empowering of national medicine regulatory authorities to protect the global drug supply is more important than ever."
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