Wolfson JRF Calls for Action Against Epidemic of Low-Quality Medicines

Dr Fanqi Zeng, Junior Research Fellow at Wolfson College, has co-authored an article in Science with Professor Heather Hamill calling for urgent action against substandard and falsified medicines across Africa and suggest that the African Medicines Agency (AMA) could play a crucial role in tackling this issue.

The World Health Organisation (WHO) estimates that up to 10% of medicines in lower- and middle-income countries are either poor-quality or fake, contributing to rising mortality, loss of trust in healthcare, and growing antimicrobial resistance. The UN estimates that in sub-Saharan Africa alone, fake medicines kill almost half a million people annually.

The authors argue that the African Medicines Agency (AMA), established in 2021, has the potential to transform regulatory oversight by coordinating surveillance, shaping policy, and integrating quality controls. It could also facilitate track-and-trace systems and build research partnerships with African universities increasing the database of substandard and falsified medicine prevalence rates.

This work is part of Dr Zeng and Professor Hamill’s broader project, Forensic Epidemiology and Impact of Substandard and Falsified Antimicrobials on Public Health (FORESFA). The project combines genomic, isotopic and chemical analysis with social network mapping to trace counterfeit drug supply chains and assess their health impact.