Globalised supply chains put drugs safety at risk: US report

The globalisation of manufacturing and use of increasingly complex supply chains in the drug and chemicals industries leaves millions at risk of counterfeit, adulterated and substandard pharmaceuticals, a new US report has claimed.

The Pew Health Group white paper, After Heparin: Protecting Consumers from the Risks of Substandard and Counterfeit Drugs, warns that increased outsourcing of manufacturing, a complex and globalised supply chain and criminal actors create the potential for counterfeit or substandard medicines to enter the supply chain and reach patients.

It notes that the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) estimates 40% of finished drugs and 80% of active ingredients and bulk chemicals used in US drugs come from overseas.

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