Counterfeit Antimalarials and the Commodification of Health

Abstract

Counterfeit and substandard medicines are a persistent threat to the global control and eradication of infectious diseases. The issue is particularly acute in developing countries due to the lack of local and international pharmaceutical surveillance networks that ultimately enables this industry to thrive . In this context, the inability to fulfill the fundamental right of individuals to access life-saving essential medicines is a critical public health challenge. Accordingly, this paper analyzes the crisis of counterfeit and substandard antimalarials in sub-Saharan Africa through a multidimensional framework. Of primary importance is the vulnerability of healthcare systems to market-driven forces which facilitates the emergence and sustainability of barriers in the access to high-quality antimalarials. Consequently, the proliferation of the informal drug market is contextualized by the dire need for affordable malaria treatment and cultural perceptions of the quality of care from formal sectors (e.g., clinics, hospitals). The impact of counterfeit antimalarials cannot be understated, ranging from increased morbidity, such as adverse effects from substandard product ingredients, to heightening the resistance of populations to the final line of antimalarial treatment (artemisinin-combination therapy). The ability of international humanitarian organizations and various levels of government to combat the issue of counterfeit medicines remains a daunting task, as the right to health has become a commodity.