The Cure is Worse than the Disease: The Medicines of Despair

A Tragic Story in Lubumbashi

Katanga, January 2004. In a church in Lubumbashi, Deacon Théodore weeps. He has just killed his 7-year-old daughter, who had AIDS. Fearing dishonor, he gave her antiretrovirals bought on the black market. These capsules, sold under the brand name Trionine, were in reality placebos of compressed plaster. His daughter's cough worsened, and she died a few days later.

Counterfeiting in the Democratic Republic of Congo

This story is common in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Sellers of fake medicines barely hide, thanks to corruption. Their slogan: "Antiretrovirals completely stop AIDS." A doctor in Lubumbashi analyzed these capsules and discovered that they were placebos. These fakes were distributed in the big cities of Katanga.

The Survey and its Limits

A commission of inquiry visited Lubumbashi in April 2004, but the results were not made public. Experts asked the police to trace the counterfeiters' networks. Meanwhile, the pandemic is progressing and counterfeit sales continue.

Counterfeiting: A Global Problem

Counterfeit drugs are now affecting the United States and Europe. Pharmaceutical companies have long ignored this problem, fearing for their image and profits. In 2003, the FDA warned of counterfeit Procrit? and Lipitor?. The frequency of these illicit actions has quadrupled in a decade.

FDA Efforts

The FDA has created a task force to improve drug distribution. In 2003, a public meeting produced some wishful thinking about the need to punish counterfeiters and improve drug distribution. However, there has been no consensus on the practical elements to implement.

France and Counterfeiting

France believes itself to be more secure, but the French pharmaceutical industry goes beyond its borders. The policy of self-medication and borderless Internet commerce leave the market for illicit medicines wide open. In 2007, counterfeits of the Corticoid Diprosone? ointment were discovered in Paris.

Counterfeiting in Ukraine

In Ukraine, 3% of the drugs tested in 2007 were fake. These products do not cure and are often placebos. Despite the seizures, the manufacturers and importers of these placebos are never worried. Seized drugs are sometimes put back on the Internet market.

Types of Counterfeits

Counterfeits can be opportunistic, semi-professional or professional. They may contain correct substances but in incorrect quantities, or be manufactured from an incorrect formula, with inactive or toxic substances. Illicit medicines are copies of specialties still protected by a patent.

India and Counterfeiting

India is a major counterfeiter of drugs. Indian law does not recognize intellectual property rights. Indian laboratories can market copies at low prices. For example, the company Cipla offers copies of drugs such as Erecto (Viagra) and Nuzac (Prozac).

Counterfeiting in China

China is also a major counterfeiter. In 2006, Shanghai police busted a ring selling fake Tamiflu. Shanghai Xidi Pharmaceutical reportedly sold more than $600,000 worth of fake drugs in a matter of months.

Counterfeiting in Russia

In Russia, the share of counterfeit drugs is equivalent to 12% of the pharmaceutical market. In November 2007, Vladimir Bryntsalov, nicknamed "the king of counterfeit drugs", was fined $1,500 for "improperly storing drugs" at his factory.

Counterfeit medicines are a complex problem that requires innovative solutions. Pharmaceutical leaders must be aware of these issues and work together to find a balance between innovation, accessibility, and safety.

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