CSMA, an industry expert in materials analysis, has developed a method for detecting counterfeit drugs which could revolutionise detection practice in the pharmaceutical industry
The work, carried out in collaboration with Glaxo SmithKline, was conducted in response to requests from the FDA (Food and Drug Administration) for major drug companies to do more to combat the growing problem of counterfeit drugs, which currently accounts for 10 percent of the global pharmaceuticals market.
By using surface analysis techniques to examine ingredient content and dispersal at the extreme surface of a drug, CSMA has developed a method of detecting differences in manufacturing routes.
Drugs produced using manufacturing methods other than those employed by the original pharmaceutical companies can therefore be identified.
Although further development of the detection system is required, the research is already being hailed as a major breakthrough.
Rob Mitchell, who led the research programme at CSMA, comments: "The circulation of counterfeit drugs costs the pharmaceutical industry billions, both in terms of revenue loss and in developing programmes to help combat the problem.
"Add to this the fact that, at their crudest, counterfeit drugs may contain ingredients that are detrimental to the health of the patient, possibly even fatal, and it is clear to see how important this research is." CSMA is a subsidiary of Ceram, an internationally renowned centre for materials and technology.
