Other projects
The Medicine Quality Research Group works with partners and collaborators worldwide to investigate substandard and falsified medical products, advancing knowledge and developing solutions to detect and prevent them.
The DEG-EG Project: Safety of medicinal syrups for children
Multiple outbreaks of diethylene glycol (DEG) and ethylene glycol (EG) poisoning in paediatric medicine syrups have killed hundreds of children worldwide. Current reference tests to detect these toxins are costly, complex, and limited to advanced laboratories. We are evaluating innovative screening methods for DEG and EG in raw ingredients and syrups, aiming to equip medicine inspectors with tools to identify and select samples for confirmatory testing.
Substandard (often from degradation) and falsified (counterfeit) vaccines are neglected public health threats with little research into detection methods for supply chains. The multidisciplinary Vaccine Identity Evaluation (VIE) Collaboration, launched early in the pandemic, unites scientists, regulators, international organisations, and manufacturers to develop and assess novel techniques to safeguard the global vaccine supply. Following promising results, we are now expanding to test these approaches in near-real-life conditions.
Forensic Epidemiology and impact of Substandard and Falsified Antimicrobials
FORESFA is a multicountry collaborative project. It aims to improve our understanding of the epidemiology of substandard and falsified (SF) antimicrobials and their impact on global public health, by adapting and evaluating forensic tools to identify sources and trade routes of SF antimicrobials. We are also investigating the public health impact of SF medicines to inform global policy and improve our global medicine supply.