Abstract:

Background: Counterfeit medicines are part of the broader phenomenon of substandard pharmaceuticals; they are deliberately and fraudulently mislabeled with respect to identity and/or source. In Tanzania 20 percent of medications are counterfeit, a figure that lies close to the average for the region. The TFDA press release report of 2011 notified the public on the presence of counterfeit anti-malaria drugs in different regions, it included; artemether 20mg+ Lumefantrine 120mg tablets. This is artesunate derivative which is now recommended by WHO as the first line treatment for uncomplicated falciparum malaria. Existence of counterfeit anti malaria drugs in the markets will result into potentially serious side effects, morbidity, mortality, drug resistance and loss of public confidence in medicines and health services.

Objective: To purpose of this study was to assess if the consumers can distinguish between the real and counterfeit anti-malaria drugs in Mwanza City.

Methodology: A cross sectional study was conducted using interviewer administered structured questionnaire with 294 consumers recruited at Ilemela and Nyamagana districts. Data were entered and analyzed using SPSS version 17.

Results: Of 294 consumers, 163 (55.6%) were able to distinguish a real drug (non-counterfeit) and a counterfeit 130 (44.4%) were not able to distinguish the drugs. Identification of a real against a counterfeit drug was associated with having health profession (p-value 0.003). Consumers with knowledge on health effects of counterfeit drugs were more likely to identify real and counterfeit drugs than their counterparts (Odds Ratio [OR] 2.95. 95% Confidence Interval [CI] = 147 – 5.65, p-value 0.003). Consumers perceived the magnitude of counterfeit drug to be a big problem.

Conclusions: These findings suggest that a substantial proportion of respondents were not to distinguish between real (non-counterfeit) and counterfeit drugs and the main source of information on counterfeit drugs was the media. The identification of counterfeit and real drugs was associated with knowledge on health effects arising from using counterfeit drugs. Therefore, there is a need to develop better strategies in promoting public awareness like education programs (education campaigns) to educate consumers regarding identification of counterfeit drugs.