Counterfeit medicines: A quick review on crime against humanity

Abstract

Counterfeit (falsified) medicines are dangerous and kill people. The global trade with falsified medicines is booming and it threatens the integrity of the healthcare system. The syndicates make a lot of money in this business. No country is immune from this problem. It is a crime against humanity. The matters are more problematic in countries where the regulations and punitive actions are weak, and there is lack of human and financial resources, lack of cooperation with neighboring countries, lack of capability to evaluate the medicines' quality, lack of awareness, and the extent of the problem is underestimated. This problem is very costly and should not be tolerated. Several measures need to be considered to fight against falsified medicines such as investigational measures, legal measures, security features, cooperation and networking between stakeholders and educational activities. This chapter will review briefly and discuss this issue from various viewpoints and angles. 2019 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.