BPC Conf hears about simple device to detect fake medicines

The fight against fake medicines could soon be aided by a small, portable device that quickly measures the hardness of a tablet, revealing whether it is counterfeit, according to research presented at the British Pharmaceutical Conference in Manchester. The study tested a series of dummy paracetamol tablets made with varying degrees of real medicine, versus lactose (an ingredient used by counterfeiters to replace the active drug). Tests showed that the fake tablets were harder than those with the correct amount of paracetamol, and were more difficult to crush.

Counterfeit medicines often look identical to the genuine product, but can contain substances such as flour or cement and very little active ingredient - which can have a devastating impact on the people who take them. Fakes are thought to make up 1% of total drug sales in developed countries and over 10% in developing nations, with the drugs of choice for counterfeiters including those for conditions such as erectile dysfunction, obesity and depression. In the UK, during a five-year investigation, the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) seized over L1.5 million ($2.7 million) of counterfeit drugs, it was noted.