July Global News

• In an attempt to stifle the spread of counterfeit drugs, Kenya has called upon intelligence units to catch counterfeiters through means similar to drug trafficking methods. Medical Services Minister Peter Anyang Nyongo said in a statement that his department plans to work with the National Security and Intelligence Services to improve surveillance methods and reduce the number of counterfeit drugs in Kenya, which, according to the country's National Quality Control Laboratories and the Pharmacy Poisons Board, make up about 30% of all drugs circulated throughout Kenya. Similarly, Rwanda is also looking at pharmacies across the country in an effort to determine the prevalence of counterfeit malaria drugs.

• A new World Trade Organization amendment may allow pharmaceutical companies to produce lower-cost generic antiretrovirals, malaria treatments, and other medicines for developing countries. Taiwan recently approved the first reading of the proposed amendment, which would facilitate the importation of cheaper, generic drugs to developing countries if they cannot manufacture the drugs themselves. Countries that have already approved the amendment are Australia, China, the European Union, Japan, South Korea, and the United States.

• Scientists in Germany and Russia are working in conjunction with researchers at the University of KwaZulu-Natal (Durban, South Africa) to create a database that could help shorten the diagnostic times of drug-resistant tuberculosis to a mere 48 hours.