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A recent report published by BMJ highlights the persisting issue of counterfeit and substandard medicines in Nigeria, despite the country’s regulatory efforts to address the problem. The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) claims that a majority of medicines sold in Nigeria today are legitimate, compared to 20 years ago when an estimate of two thirds of medicines sold such as antimalarials and antibiotics, were substandard and falsified. However, while progress has Read more…

Access to safe, effective, and quality medical products is essential for universal health coverage. However, substandard and falsified medical products are frequently introduced into the global supply chain, leading to adverse health effects and socioeconomic costs. These products are a persistent public health challenge that affects WHO member states worldwide. The Member State Mechanism on Substandard and Falsified Medical Products was established in 2012 to coordinate and organize activities to prevent, detect, and respond to Read more…

The eleventh meeting of the Member State mechanism on substandard and falsified medical products was held in Geneva, Switzerland on 19 and 20 October 2022. The WHO Director-General, Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, opened the meeting and underscored the importance of access to safe and quality medical products as a cornerstone of universal health coverage.  The reporting disparity from GSMS (Global Surveillance and Monitoring System) both among WHO regions and in the classification of reported products Read more…