A random survey of the prevalence of falsified and substandard antibiotics in the Lao PDR.

ABSTRACT:

Objectives

In 2012, a stratified random survey, using mystery shoppers, was conducted to investigate the availability and quality of antibiotics sold to patients in the private sector in five southern provinces of the Lao People's Democratic Republic (Laos).

Methods

A total of 147 outlets were sampled in 10 districts. The active pharmaceutical ingredient (API) content measurements for 909 samples, including nine APIs (amoxicillin, ampicillin, ceftriaxone, ciprofloxacin, doxycycline, ofloxacin, sulfamethoxazole, tetracycline and trimethoprim), were determined using HPLC.

Results

All the analysed samples contained the stated API and we found no evidence for falsification. All except one sample had all the units tested with %API values between 75% and 125% of the content

SUBMITTER: Tabernero P 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7614350 | biostudies-literature | 2022 May

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature