Malaria is one of the world’s most dangerous diseases, claiming millions of victims every year.
The usual medication against it consists of pills containing 50mg of Artemisin and a synthetic derivative Artesunate. An international team of scientists has now made a full investigation into fake malarial medicines, which are sold throughout Southeast Asia and followed the supply route.
From 1999 to 2006, with the help of Interpol, local police and the World Health Organization, the team investigated 391 stocks of medicine. Most of which did not contain any of the essential active ingredients at all. Of the ones that did, the strongest medication found contained only 12mg of anti-malarial drugs. The search for the sources of these drugs ended in Yunnan province in China.
Malaria is common in Cambodia, Burma, and Laos, and half of all pills available in these countries today are thought to be fake. The active ingredients contained in these fakes are too low to cure the disease, but high enough to enable the parasites to develop resistance to the drug, making any future treatment ineffectual.
“If malaria becomes resistant to Artesunate, the effect on the public health in the tropics will be catastrophic,” said Dr Paul Newton the investigation’s leader.
From SE-Globe Cambodia’s English Magazine
