Drug Majors Confident on Measures to Halt African Re-Export Scams

Amid growing reports that African HIV/AIDS pandemic areas are at the centre of a lucrative re-export trade, drug major GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) has expressed confidence in its own measures to halt the illegal activity.

GSK has recently implemented an anti-fraud system that includes new packaging and labelling for its antiretrovirals destined for Africa. This is expected to allow the company to trace intercepted re-imports back to specific wholesalers in Africa. Further, the company has altered the appearance of its Epivir (lamivudine) and Combivir (lamivudine and zidovudine) drugs according to whether they are for use in developed markets or in Africa.

Recent reports have noted that even UK healthcare provider the NHS has been caught up in the illegal re-import schemes, although it can be assumed that this will be less likely to recur in future. However, the problem highlights the difficulties posed by the export of hi-tech drugs to under-regulated markets that would normally be unable to afford such expensive products. Further, price differentials of up to 30 times between African and European markets constitute a powerful incentive for the trade to continue.