Counterfeit Drugs in Malaysia: Statistics

The Director of the National Pharmaceutical Regulatory Agency, Ministry of Health, noted that based on the volume of counterfeit drug seizures made by the Pharmaceutical Enforcement unit, counterfeits account for between 3-6% of medicines distributed in Malaysia.

The Pharmaceutical Association of Malaysia found, in 2015, that approximately 5% of prescription medicines are fake, including eye drops, inhalers and medicines for erectile dysfunction (ED).

ED medicines are among the most frequented group of counterfeited medicines in the Malaysian market, which is estimated to account for 30-40% of all counterfeits.

As of 2013, counterfeits drugs accounted for 10% of the world's medicines, with an estimated annual growth rate of 13% as reported by the international law firm, Baker and McKenzie. In addition around 40% of illegal pharmaceuticals are said to originate from Asian countries according to a 2011 report by a US based Pharmaceutical Security Institute.

The 2008 European Alliance for Access to Safe Medicines (EAASM) Report also found that 62% of medicines purchased online were either fake or substandard while over 90% of online pharmacies supplied prescription-only drugs without prescriptions from a name verifiable pharmacist.

/MIMS DOCTOR 15-31 July 2016_12-08-2016

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