MENA’s Fake Pharma Conundrum

Abstract

Not so long ago Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) made a shocking discovery in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Hundreds of patients had unwittingly taken Haloperidol instead of Diazepam to treat malaria-induced seizures, meningitis, and other illnesses. The side effects caused by this powerful antipsychotic were horrific. Many victims suffered facial cramps, contorted upper bodies and other equally bizarre symptoms.

It’s the type of backyard horror story that’s inspired the governments of the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) to regularly remind citizens of the dangers of counterfeit medicines. Warnings are often attached to media coverage of seizures, as well as updates on state-led initiatives to combat a trade worth an estimated USD 200 billion a year. And with good reason. While the scourge of fake pharmaceuticals affects all parts of the world, the problem is growing in the MENA region, where healthcare can be in short supply but high demand.