Of fake and adulterated drugs

A medical doctor who is a consultant surgeon performed a surgical operation and immediately recommended an anti-biotic tablet that will safeguard the patient from opportunistic infections and fast rack his healing. Incidentally, however, the doctor observed that the condition of the man was deteriorating instead of improving on a daily basis. The doctor became apprehensive about the failing health of his patient, he was suspicious of the authenticity of the drug, and decided to open the capsule, only to detect that it was filled with ashes. No doubt, the gentleman was a victim of fake and adulterated drug. The prevalence of fake, adulterated and sub-standard drugs constitutes of one of the greatest evil of our time and the highest form of terrorism against public health as well as an act of economic sabotage.

• NAFDAC to tackle importation of unlicensed drugs frontally ―DG

It is disheartening to observe that the business of fake drugs is a lucrative crime that is increasing worldwide on a daily basis. It poses public health hazard to the masses and it can lead to poisoning of human cells and untimely death. What is the essence of expending on drugs that is hazardous to the human health? The therapeutic failure and drug resistance is a major challenge for the health care providers in Nigeria. There is an urgent need for government to intensify efforts on enlightenment campaign to sensitize the citizenry about the harmful effect of taking fake and adulterated drugs. The proliferation of unapproved patent medicine stores and quacks operating in these outlets calls for the intervention of regulatory agencies. One of the veritable means of checkmating the spread of adulterated and fake drugs is to clampdown on the illegal shops and introduce punitive measures on a regular basis, NAFDAC and Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) have impounded and destroyed fakes drugs in recent time but there is need to intensify efforts to ensure total eradication of this menace.

A study conducted by a former Deputy Director of World Health Organization (WHO), Professor Adeoye Lambo in Nigeria for a pharmaceutical firm in Lagos in 1990, showed that 54 per cent of drugs in every major pharmacy shop were fake. The study also indicated that the figure had risen to 80 per cent in the subsequent years.

There were reported incidents of fake drugs that led to the death of innocent Nigerians. In 1989, poorly compounded chloroquine syrup killed children in UNTH Enugu, Enugu State. Also in 1990, the paracetamol syrup disaster occurred when 109 children died in Ibadan and just after the intake which was produced with toxic ethylene gycol solvent instead of propylene gycol. And in 2004, three Nigeria hospitals reported cases of adverse reaction from the use of contaminated infusion produced by four Nigerian companies. Consequently, the sampled infusions and water for infection from all over the country showed that 147 of the 149 brands of water for injection screened were also not sterile. It is disheartening to see men and women hawking drugs along the major streets of our towns and cities in Nigeria. This unwholesome practice is very rampant among the illiterates and semi-literates selling drugs in bags and trays, making wrong prescriptions that may be injurious to the health of the innocent members of the public.

What then are the steps that should be taken to minimize the spread of fake and adulterated drugs in our pharmaceutical shops? There is a need for more proactive approach on part of the World Health Organization and the entire international community in addressing the issue of counterfeiting of pharmaceuticals. This is achievable through seminars, public lectures and international conventions against counterfeiting of pharmaceuticals, just as we have for narcotics and psychotropic substances.  In these conventions or conferences, sprinted efforts must be made to harmonise the regulation of pharmaceutical products. It behoves the Federal Government to enact laws on drug counterfeiting and visit severe penalties on the peddlers of the substandard, fake and adulterated drugs. The eradication of counterfeit drugs should be treated as an International Health Emergency Programme considering the fact that this challenge cuts across all nations of the world. If this crime is holistically tackled by many nations of the world, it will go a long way to nip it in the bud.

Be it as it may, the healthcare providers are also advised to procure their drugs from reputable and credible sources. Not only this, our financial institutions and banks also need to collaborate with drug regulators to ensure that fake drug dealers do not process their financial import documents from banks. Eradicating drug counterfeiting in Nigeria is the responsibility of all the stakeholders, including pharmaceutical industries, pharmacists, pharmacologists, approved patent medicine sellers, distributors, and regulatory agencies.

• Babatunde writes in from Ibadan, Oyo State.