SPOTLIGHT: Chinese pharma recalls counterfeit drug

After discovering a syndicate counterfeiting its products, Chinese drug maker Holley-Cotec Pharmaceuticals is recalling anti-malarials supplied to Kenya. Twenty thousand doses of Duo-cotecxin, a type of artemisinin drug recommended by the World Health Organization for use against malaria, are involved in the recall. The company analyzed the fake meds and found they had very low levels of active ingredients. Kenyan officials said this is the first case of a counterfeit artemisinin drug, but fake anti-malarials are becoming a worldwide problem and could spur drug resistance in the germ. Holley-Cotec says it intends to use new tamper-proof technology on the replacement doses it supplies. Report