Chinese Malaria Drugs Recalled in Kenya

According to BBC Afrique, Holley-Cotec Pharmaceuticals, a Chinese drug firm, plans to recall thousands of antimalarial drugs supplied to Kenya after discovering a counterfeit syndicate.

The vice-president of Holley-Cotec said 20,000 doses of Duo-cotecxin will be removed from sale.

He told the BBC that an analysis of the counterfeit product showed it had very low active ingredients and patients taking it would not be cured.

Duo-cotecxin is one of the artemisinin-based combination therapy drugs recommended by World Health Organization to treat malaria and is widely supplied in government and private hospitals in Kenya.

A full dose of Duo-cotecxin costs about $5 in Kenya, the counterfeited drug is being sold for less than $1, the BBC reported.