Forensic epidemiology and impact of substandard and falsified antimicrobials on public health

Poor quality medicines (falsified, aka counterfeit, and substandard) for treating infections are a massive  underappreciated global health challenge in great need of innovative research informing interventions. We will build on our collective pioneering research, constructing an innovative, multidisciplinary research collaboration,  improving our understanding and informing global policy and action. Leading specialists investigating illegal wildlife trade, forensics, social network analysis and modelling, will work together to address two main aims:

1.  How can innovative forensic techniques be used to identify falsified antimicrobial sources and trade routes?
 
We will compare signatures of trace DNA found in tablets and chemistry of falsified, substandard and genuine antimicrobials to determine their characteristic signatures, combined with social network analysis to illuminate their origins and trade routes.
 
2.  What are the public health impacts of poor quality antimicrobials?
 
What are the impacts of poor quality antimicrobials on patient outcome, global public health, especially antimicrobial resistance?