Technology to detect fake drugs launched in Accra

An anti–counterfeit technology to help the public to detect fake drugs at sale points and healthcare centres has been launched in Accra.

Spearheaded by the Pharmaceutical Society of Ghana (PSGH), the technology will help to establish whether or not particular drugs are registered and accredited by the Food and Drugs Authority (FDA).

The technology is part of the PSGH’s support to the national campaign against counterfeit and sub-standard medicines on the local market.

In a keynote address at the launch yesterday, the President of PSGH, Mr James Ohemeng Kyei, expressed the society’s worry over the reported cases of fake medicines sold locally and in the West African sub-region.

He said such drugs threatened the health of members of the public, and therefore required the urgent attention of all stakeholders.

He said as part of efforts to address the problem, the society engaged two technological partners, Pop Out and Mpedigree, to develop and implement the  technology.

Mr Kyei advised the public to check critically the details of any medicine before buying or using it.

PREVENT

The technology, Patient, Research Empowerment, Vigilance and Education (PREVENT ), is facilitated by the mobile telephone network and social media platform.

As part of the anti–counterfeiting technology, medicines will be assigned unique codes to be embossed on the sealed packages at FDA approved factories and warehouses internationally.

A prospective buyer or user is expected to scratch the seal off the secret code and text it to the short code 1393 on all networks to authenticate the drug.

The response which comes in 10 seconds tells the buyer or the user all there is to know about a particular medicine in terms of its legitimacy.

The technology will be implemented in collaboration with the Ministry of Health, the Food and Drugs Authority ( FDA), the Ghana Medical Association and other stakeholders.

Writer’s email: Doreen.andoh@graphic.com