Check My Med: when participatory science fights against counterfeit medicines

Counterfeit medicines are a global scourge, endangering the health of millions of people. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), around 1 in 10 medicines in low- and middle-income countries are substandard or falsified. Every year, it is believed to be responsible for more than 100,000 deaths in Africa (source: WHO, 2017). Behind these worrying figures lie tragic human stories: patients deprived of effective treatment, families faced with avoidable tragedy, and a black market that feeds international criminal networks.

Faced with this threat, an original citizen initiative has been launched: Check My Med, a participatory science project proposed by Pharmanalyse.

What is Check My Med?

Check My Med is a participatory science initiative that enables everyone to take concrete action against counterfeit medicines. The idea is simple: anyone can send a suspicious medicine to the PharmAnalyse laboratory for scientific testing. The results are then anonymised, analysed and added to a publicly accessible database.

Through this approach, each participant contributes to:

• Detect counterfeit or substandard medicines,
• Strengthen citizen oversight of treatment quality,
• Alert the authorities and raise public awareness of the scale of the problem.

This project thus transforms patients, consumers and citizens into direct participants in the fight against counterfeiting.

Why participatory science?

Citizen science is based on collaboration between scientists and citizens. It enables large-scale data collection, directly involves civil society and creates a collective movement to tackle public health issues.

In the case of counterfeit medicines, this model is particularly relevant:

• Counterfeit products are often distributed locally and slip under the radar of traditional controls.
• Testimonials and samples collected by citizens enrich the database and enable better mapping of the phenomenon.
• Active participation raises awareness and promotes responsible behaviour.

The urgent need to take action against counterfeit medicines

E-commerce has increased the risks. According to the OECD and the European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO), medicines account for more than 20% of counterfeit products seized in international trade (2020 report). The categories most affected include:

• Antibiotics,
• Malaria treatments,
• Medicines for erectile dysfunction,
• Painkillers.

These products may contain too little active ingredient (promoting bacterial resistance), no active ingredient (making them ineffective), or worse, toxic substances.

The consequence? A direct threat to patients' lives, but also a collective risk: the emergence of drug resistance that could render certain treatments ineffective in the future.

How can I participate in Check My Med?

Participating is simple and accessible to everyone:

1. Visit the official project page: Check My Med.
2. Order an analysis of your medicines.
3. Send your samples to the PharmAnalyse laboratory.
4. Contribute to a global database of reliable information on medicine quality.

Each analysis commissioned contributes to improving health safety for all.

Together against drug counterfeiting

Check My Med is more than a scientific project: it is a citizen movement. By participating, you are not only protecting your own health, but also helping to protect millions of people around the world. The greater the mobilisation, the greater the impact the results will have on the fight against this global scourge.

Join this initiative today and become an agent of change.

Photo credit Julia Koblitz on Unsplash