Minilab acquired to detect counterfeit medicines
The Centre for Pharmaceutical Advancement and Training (CePAT) has taken delivery of the first compact mobile laboratory (minilab) for the detection and identification of substandard and counterfeit medicines in Ghana.
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The delivery of the minilab, which was handed over to the centre by the Global Pharmaceutical Health Fund (GPHF), a charitable organisation funded by the German pharmaceutical firm, Merck KGaA, followed an agreement signed between CePAT and the GPHF to improve access to good quality, safe and beneficial medicines in Ghana.
Speaking at the handing-over ceremony in Accra, the Manager in charge of CePAT Operations, Mr Kwasi Poku Boateng, said the minilab would enhance the activities of the centre in its efforts at ensuring quality and safe medicines in the country.
He observed that the partnership between CePAT and GPHF would strengthen human resource capacity to conduct quality control testing to detect substandard and counterfeit medications in Africa.
“Through the cooperation, the GPHF will complement CePAT’s current skills and resources, thus supporting the centre’s public health goals,” Mr Boateng said.
Minilab
The minilab consists of two portable and tropic-resistant suitcases and provides a large number of test methods for checking medicines for external abnormalities, identity and content.
Currently, 57 active pharmaceutical ingredients can be tested, particularly those in medicines commonly used against infectious diseases.
The test methods include those for common antibiotics, anthelmintics, virustatics, anti-malarial medicines and other medicines.
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The combination of a simple, reliable test set for on-site testing and a manual with detailed instructions on conducting the tests are said to be unique.
The GPHF is also developing new test methods to be able to check even more medicines. In addition, it offers training to ensure that the users are familiar with the test methods.
CePAT operations
According to Mr Boateng, CePAT, a not-for-profit organisation established under the United States Pharmaceutical Convention (USPC) Global Health Impact Programme (GHIP), had the objective to build sub-Saharan Africa’s human resource capacity in pharmaceutical quality control by developing local talent to serve as technical experts in quality control and quality assurance of medicines.
“CePAT uses an integrated approach to support medicine quality assurance systems in sub-Saharan Africa through training, testing and consulting,” he said.
Merck contribution to Ghana
The Head of Public Affairs Group Communications of Merck, Mr Frank Gotthardt, said the presence of minilab in Ghana would contribute efficiently to the delivery of quality and safe medicines.
He observed that the International Police Organisation (Interpol) estimated that 10–30 per cent of all medicines in Africa were counterfeit or of inferior quality.
According to him, so far the GHPF had donated minilabs to more than 80 countries, adding that approximately half of the 500 compact labs were being used in African countries.