The Global Landscape of Counterfeit Pharmaceuticals: Modes, Hazards, and Detection Methods

The problem of drug counterfeiting has been known for decades. Falsified and counterfeit drugs pose continuously growing health and socioeconomic concerns worldwide. The global market of illegal medicines encompasses many essential and widely consumed therapeutic modalities such as antibiotics, steroids, hormones, anti-protozoals, analgesics, and therapies for erectile dysfunction. Because the illegal medicine business is rapidly changing and adapting, national and international health authorities are obliged to take necessary measures and bring together collaborative and organized efforts to protect public health and interests. The establishment and implementation of good distribution practice becomes more important than ever to ensure safe drug circulation and administration. Moreover, the adoption of robust and accurate analytical procedures is fundamental for the detection and evaluation of the legal standing of pharmaceutical products and the assessment of their potential threats to public life. Here, we review types of counterfeit drugs, modes of counterfeiting, health and socioeconomic hazards, and analytical methods for detection. The review places special emphasis on the problem of drug counterfeiting and efforts to combat it.