Tanzania investigating circulation of fake HIV drugs, stops local ARV production

BBC News reports on an investigation into the circulation of fake HIV drugs in Tanzania, writing, "Analysts say there is concern about the quality of locally made drugs given widespread corruption in political circles in the East Africa nation." Health Minister Hussein Mwinyi "has suspended three top officials and stopped local production of the antiretrovirals (ARVs) while the probe takes place," the news service notes, adding, "Mwinyi said the health ministry was alerted in August to problems with a batch of ARV drugs at the Tarime District Hospital."

"The batch, produced by the Tanzania Pharmaceutical Industry (TPI), was immediately recalled and subjected to further testing, which revealed that it was sub-standard," according to BBC. "The officials who were suspended on Wednesday work at the Medical Stores Department (MSD) and the production of all drugs by TPI has been halted while investigations are under way, the government-owned paper Tanzania Daily News reports," BBC notes. The news service adds, "The minister said out of 12,000 bottles in the fake ARV batch, 9,570 had so far been successfully recalled" (10/11).