2006: Counterfeit Antimalarials in West Africa

Counterfeit antimalarials found in Cameroon in 2006: Counterfeit version of Arsumax (left) and genuine medicine (right). The counterfeit pills contain the right active ingredient in the right quantity. However, the packaging comes without hologram and the label claim in respect of source is entirely wrong. Since treatment regimes have been changed from chloroquine and sulfadoxine/ pyrimethamine to artemisinine-based combination therapy, counterfeiters swiftly followed this new trend. For further reading see also the report on counterfeit artesunate published in PLoS Medicine.

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