Deadly fakes

The “murderous trade” in counterfeit drugs is out of control, scientists warned last week. The World Health Organization estimates that around 10 per cent of pharmaceuticals traded globally are fakes. Most of this trade occurs in the developing world. Paul Newton of Oxford University and his colleagues have gathered recent reports of fake drugs, including meningococcal vaccine containing nothing but tap water (British Medical Journal, vol 324, p 800). “Regulatory authorities in the tropics are very underfunded, with no way of checking drugs,” says Newton. “They need international help.”