Analytical tools to fight against counterfeit medicines

Counterfeiting has been dramatically increasing this last decade throughout the world and particularly in developing countries, with many consequences such as adverse impacts on public health, economics and negative reputation for the pharmaceutical industry. Recognizing the magnitude of the issue, health authorities at national, regional and international levels are trying to fight against this scourge using various strategies including the setting-up of effective quality control that need to be reinforced through generic, fast and specific detection methods. To illustrate this topic we will present several analytical tools, including liquid chromatography, low cost capillary electrophoresis and near infrared spectroscopy, developed and applied to the detection and quantification of counterfeit drugs.