You don’t find photos of real versus fake products on a regulator’s website everyday.
If you take a look, you’ll realize that it’s challenging to determine which sample is genuine or fake if you only had one of the drugs in hand. Try it – cover either the genuine or fake sample on the screen and ask yourself: “does this look like a regular drug?”
Consumer-focused anti-counterfeit security features should give a clear yes/no answer, else it’s back to guess work.
Only months after the The US Pharmacopoea (USP) assisted in the discovery of fake antimalarials in Ghana, a West-African nation, major studies are now beginning to reveal the true depth of the drug quality problem. Recent studies have shown that almost half of the antimalarials in Senegal are substandard. The drugs tested in Senegal failed standard pharmacovigilance tests that determine the quantity and quality of active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) and physical drug properties, such as dissolution. Failing an API test means that the patient could be taking a placebo, or even worse, a drug tainted with toxins.
The consumer in Senegal isn’t a lone victim. The situation isn’t much better in other African nations: 26% of antimalarials in Uganda are substandard. In Madagascar, it’s slightly higher at 30%. Uganda only recently switched from monotherapy antimalaria drugs to the combination therapy antimalarials. The counterfeiters switched too.
It is key that consumers have appropriate purchase decision support at the point of healthcare: all the drugs tested in Senegal had a fraction of the recommended API, but impotent antimalarials risk boosting the malaria parasite’s resistance to the real drugs. If consumers have the right tools to steer them away from sub-standard medication, such drugs will pose less of a risk to human life. The malaria parasite’s resistance isn’t boosted when fake and sub-standard drugs are left on the shelf.
We commend the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) for supporting the Drug Quality and Information (DQI) program and the USP for implementing the Promoting the Quality of Medicines (PQM) initiative. Such efforts will help bring more evidence to the fore as we get better data to quantify the real extent of the fake drug menace.
Next week, Barcelona will be buzzing with loads of (extra) activity, as the world’s largest conference on mobiles blasts off. Last year’s conference provided us with great opportunities to forge new partnerships, creating immensely beneficial business relationships that have helped establish our market presence. This year, Mobile World Congress has a growing interest in mHealth, and we’re glad to provide our take on the maturing industry based on our experience in cash-based societies. We’ll be participating in a panel discussion on innovative business models in mHealth, explaining how Sproxil is currently generating its revenue.
Drop by our booth in the mHealth Pavilion to see a live demonstration of NAFDAC’s MAS service running nationwide in Nigeria. For just about a week, you’ll be able to check medication with a cell phone in ways yet to be widely available even in Europe!
See you soon.
In its most recent market forecast report, Pyramid Research discusses the rise in the innovative use of enterprise-strength technologies in emerging markets. Pyramid’s Tim Kridel writes that Sproxil’s MPA technology is an example of an innovative product providing a solution to a pressing market need – consumers’ desire to obtain purchase decision support at pharmacies in cash-based societies.
The report “Enterprise Services in Emerging Markets: A Survey of Innovation and Opportunities” is available for purchase through Pyramid Research’s website. Alternatively, you can watch a preview presentation about the report.
Last year, NAFDAC (the Nigerian Food and Drug Regulator) gave an indication that it will be deploying innovative technologies to put the power of authentication in the hands of consumers. We are glad to announce that on 02/02/2010, NAFDAC launched the Mobile Authentication Service (MAS) – another milestone in its long history of fighting fakes in cash-based societies like Nigeria.
NAFDAC’s MAS provides consumers with an easy way to connect with legitimate brand owners as they authenticate products at the point of purchase. In addition to NAFDAC’S recent success in intercepting 100 million Naira (about USD 660,000) of fake anti-malarials at Nigeria’s ports, the trail-blazing regulatory authority has seen value in adopting Sproxil’s MPA technology to further enhance the protection it provides to consumers in Nigeria, while showing the potential Sproxil’s technology could have in several cash-based societies.
NAFDAC is working with stakeholders on sensitizing the public on MAS, and consumers have already started texting to the toll-free SMS authentication hotline and accessing our 24×7 support center. You can learn more about MAS by accessing the FAQ here [PDF].
Edwards Angell Palmer & Dodge (EAPD) a global law firm with 12 offices worldwide has selected Sproxil as an inaugural participant in its HIT – Helping Innovators Thrive – program. The program offers young companies support and access to strategic legal advice and provides discounts, deferrals and awards of free legal services. In recognition of its innovative and commercially viable technology, Sproxil will receive access to strategic advice on corporate structure, fund raising, equity compensation, intellectual property, licenses and collaborations.
Alden Zecha, CFO & Strategist for Sproxil said, “EAPD’s HIT program provides us with a tremendous benefit and we look forward to working with EAPD. We have already received support and encouragement from EAPD’s top-tier, legal team. They bring significant expertise and contacts in both the technology and health care spaces where we work. That is invaluable to an early stage, founder-funded company like ours, especially as we grow and eventually obtain outside funding.”
The official announcement is here.
http://www.rockhopper.tv/flash/mxmlVideoPlayer.swf?id=309&src=http://www.rockhopper.tv/webservices/get-programme2.aspx&site=rockhoppe
RX 360, an international pharmaceutical supply chain consortium, has put up a page with a fascinating 25 min documentary on fake drugs.
The Rockhopper documentary was aired on BBC this month.
Sproxil, a finalist at the first African Diaspora Marketplace (ADM), has won support from USAID, Western Union and Ecobank in the first ever ADM event.
The seven month-long due diligence process to select Africa’s most promising startups ended with a 2 day event in Washington DC, where 58 finalists were invited to showcase their companies to investors. Out of the 733 original applicants, only 14 were awarded grants from a pool of nearly $1.5 million.
Speaking at the awards event, Sproxil’s CFO and Strategist, Mr. Alden Zecha said “Winning this award helps to further validate the value and impact of Sproxil’s solution for the developing world. The timing also coincides with our market launch earlier this month. African consumers are now much safer from the threat of counterfeit pharmaceuticals.” With our Mobile Product AuthenticationTM product recently introduced to the Nigerian market, Sproxil’s clients are already seeing significant uptake from the public, as consumers enjoy the benefits of purchasing genuine products. Support from USAID, Western Union Company and Ecobank will help us protect even more high-value commodities in Africa, and expose the world to a renewed continent where valuable brands can be appreciated and protected from counterfeiting.
To learn more about the African Diaspora Marketplace, visit the ADM Website or see the full list of winners.
Sproxil wishes you a happy and prosperous 2010. We had an exciting 2009, and look forward to expanding our client base as we launch new, exciting products in this new year.
Regards,
The Sproxil Team
Sproxil founder Ashifi Gogo will be a featured speaker at the Unite For Sight Global Health & Innovation 2010 Conference to be held on the campus of Yale University in New Haven, Connecticut April 17–18, 2010. His presentation “Simple Solutions To Complex Problems: How A Text Message Can Save A Life,” will explain how Sproxil’s technology helps to save lives in developing nations by reducing the threat of counterfeit pharmaceuticals. You can learn more about the conference here.
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