Problem of Counterfeit Drugs: Focus on Antimicrobials

Abstract

The problem of counterfeit drugs was first discussed at international level in 1985 at the World Health Organization Conference of Experts on the Rational Use of Drugs in Nairobi. Nowadays it is estimated that counterfeit arc up to 10% of allmarketed drugs in the world. In Russia the first fake drug was reported in 1997 but definition of the term «counterfeit drug»and other amendments concerning this problem were added to the Federal Law «On Medicines» only in 2004. The survey conducted by Association of the International Pharmaceutical Manufacturers and the Coalition for Intellectual Property Rights showed that counterfeit medicines total 12% of those marketed in Russia and damage to pharmaceutical companies more than $250 mollion annually. The most commonly (47%) counterfeited medicines are antibiotics. According to WHO, the most common counterfeit medications in the world are antibiotics, antiTB, antimalarial and antiretroviral drugs. The most frequently counterfeited drug in the world is amoxicillin. Counterfeit antimicrobials area cause of reported deaths and contribute to antimicrobial resistance.