Cancer patients across Africa face a deadly gamble every time they take their medicine. Researchers discovered that dangerous fake drugs are flooding hospitals and pharmacies across four African countries. One out of every six cancer treatments contains the wrong amount of active ingredients needed to fight the disease. Scientists secretly collected samples from dozens of medical facilities across Ethiopia, Kenya, Malawi and Cameroon to expose this shocking problem.
Patients who swallow these bogus medicines could watch their tumors grow larger and spread throughout their bodies. The fake drugs look exactly like real ones on the outside but fail to deliver the life-saving chemicals inside. Medical experts tested almost 200 different cancer drug products and found widespread problems at major hospitals. Visual checks only catch about 25 percent of the bad medicines because counterfeits appear identical to genuine treatments.
Manufacturing mistakes, poor storage conditions and criminal counterfeiting operations create these deadly products. Many African laboratories refuse to test cancer drugs because the chemicals are extremely toxic and dangerous to handle safely. Rich countries have strict rules and testing systems that catch fake medicines before they reach patients. Poor nations lack the money and equipment needed to protect their people from these killer drugs.
Health officials promise to work with African governments to fix the crisis. The World Health Organization admits that one in ten medicines used across poorer countries contains serious defects. Scientists are developing simple paper tests that doctors can use to check drug quality before giving them to patients.
Patients who swallow these bogus medicines could watch their tumors grow larger and spread throughout their bodies. The fake drugs look exactly like real ones on the outside but fail to deliver the life-saving chemicals inside. Medical experts tested almost 200 different cancer drug products and found widespread problems at major hospitals. Visual checks only catch about 25 percent of the bad medicines because counterfeits appear identical to genuine treatments.
Manufacturing mistakes, poor storage conditions and criminal counterfeiting operations create these deadly products. Many African laboratories refuse to test cancer drugs because the chemicals are extremely toxic and dangerous to handle safely. Rich countries have strict rules and testing systems that catch fake medicines before they reach patients. Poor nations lack the money and equipment needed to protect their people from these killer drugs.
Health officials promise to work with African governments to fix the crisis. The World Health Organization admits that one in ten medicines used across poorer countries contains serious defects. Scientists are developing simple paper tests that doctors can use to check drug quality before giving them to patients.
