Poor quality vital anti-malarials in Africa - an urgent neglected public health priority. by Newton, P, Green, MD, Mildenhall, D, Plançon, A, Nettey, H, Nyadong, L, Hostetler, D, Swamidoss, I, Harris, G, Powell, K, Timmermans, A, Amin, A, Opuni, S, Barbereau, S, Faurant, C, Soong, R, Faure, K, Thevanayagam, J, Fernandes, P, Kaur, H, Angus, B, Stepniewska, K, Guerin, P, Fernández, F

“…Packaging, chemical composition (high performance liquid chromatography, direct ionization mass spectrometry, X-ray diffractometry, stable isotope analysis) and botanical investigations were performed. RESULTS: Counterfeit artesunate containing chloroquine, counterfeit dihydroartemisinin (DHA) containing paracetamol (acetaminophen), counterfeit DHA-piperaquine containing sildenafil, counterfeit artemether-lumefantrine containing pyrimethamine, counterfeit halofantrine containing artemisinin, and substandard/counterfeit or degraded artesunate and artesunate+amodiaquine in eight countries are described. …”

A collaborative epidemiological investigation into the criminal fake artesunate trade in South East Asia. by Newton, P, Fernández, F, Plançon, A, Mildenhall, D, Green, MD, Ziyong, L, Christophel, E, Phanouvong, S, Howells, S, McIntosh, E, Laurin, P, Blum, N, Hampton, C, Faure, K, Nyadong, L, Soong, C, Santoso, B, Zhiguang, W, Newton, J, Palmer, K

“…A total of 391 samples of genuine and counterfeit artesunate collected in Vietnam (75), Cambodia (48), Lao PDR (115), Myanmar (Burma) (137) and the Thai/Myanmar border (16), were available for analysis. …”

A stratified random survey of the proportion of poor quality oral artesunate sold at medicine outlets in the Lao PDR - implications for therapeutic failure and drug resistance. by Sengaloundeth, S, Green, MD, Fernández, F, Manolin, O, Phommavong, K, Insixiengmay, V, Hampton, C, Nyadong, L, Mildenhall, D, Hostetler, D, Khounsaknalath, L, Vongsack, L, Phompida, S, Vanisaveth, V, Syhakhang, L, Newton, P

“… BACKGROUND: Counterfeit oral artesunate has been a major public health problem in mainland SE Asia, impeding malaria control. …”

Poor quality drugs: grand challenges in high throughput detection, countrywide sampling, and forensics in developing countries. by Fernandez, F, Hostetler, D, Powell, K, Kaur, H, Green, MD, Mildenhall, D, Newton, P

“…Here we discuss some of the challenges related to the fight against poor quality drugs, and counterfeits in particular, with an emphasis on the analytical tools available, their relative performance, and the necessary workflows needed for distinguishing between genuine, substandard, degraded and counterfeit medicines.…”