The counterfeit anti-malarial is a crime against humanity: a systematic review of the scientific evidence.

ABSTRACT:

Background

The counterfeiting of anti-malarials represents a form of attack on global public health in which fake and substandard anti-malarials serve as de facto weapons of mass destruction, particularly in resource-constrained endemic settings, where malaria causes nearly 660,000 preventable deaths and threatens millions of lives annually. It has been estimated that fake anti-malarials contribute to nearly 450,000 preventable deaths every year. This crime against humanity is often underestimated or ignored. This study attempts to describe and characterize the direct and indirect effects of counterfeit anti-malarials on public health, clinical care and socio-economic conditions.

Methods

A search was performed using key databases, WHO documents, and English language search e

SUBMITTER: Karunamoorthi K 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4064812 | biostudies-literature | 2014 Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature