Fake drug sales on the rise, warn experts at WHO meet

Experts have warned that production and sale of counterfeit drugs is on the rise in both rich and poor countries, with an increasing number of unwary consumers buying them over the internet.

Fake or substandard versions of medicines are often hidden in cargos taking circuitous routes to mask their country of origin as part of criminal activity worth billions, several experts said at a World Health Organisation meet earlier this week.

"They put people at risk of harm from medical products that may contain too much, too little, or the wrong active ingredient and/or contain toxic ingredients," said Margaret Hamburg, head of the US Food and Drug Administration.

"Counterfeiting is growing in complexity, scale and geographic scope," she said in a speech to the annual ministerial meeting of the WHO.

In wealthy countries, counterfeiting often involves "expensive hormones, steroids and anti-cancer medicines and pharmaceuticals related to lifestyle," a WHO report said.

But in developing countries, especially Africa, counterfeit medicines are commonly available to treat life-threatening conditions such as malaria, tuberculosis and HIV / AIDS, it said.