Tackling Antimicrobial Resistance through Medicine Quality Surveillance: Role of Minilab Screening in Detecting Substandard Antimicrobials
1
Quality Assurance, Regulatory and Surveillance, Ecumenical Pharmaceutical Network, Nairobi, Kenya
Popul. Med. 2026;8(Supplement Supplement 1):
ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND:
Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is exacerbated by circulation of substandard and falsified (S/F) antimicrobials, which expose pathogens to sub-therapeutic drug concentrations, accelerating resistance development. Despite this risk, medicine quality surveillance remains insufficiently integrated into national AMR strategies in many low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). This abstract examines the contribution of Global Pharma Health Fund (GPHF)’s Minilab-based medicine quality screening to AMR prevention efforts.
METHODS:
A retrospective analysis of Minilab screening data across a four year period (2021 to 2024) was conducted to assess trends in medicine quality and establish if there is any relevance to AMR. Medicine samples collected through routine, risk-based surveillance within the Minilab Network were screened using standardized Minilab protocols. Results were analysed by year, product class, and source to identify trends in quality failures. Minilab findings were triangulated with procurement, regulatory, and AMR surveillance information to examine the contribution of medicine quality data to AMR prevention and response activities.
RESULTS:
Screening revealed that the largest proportion of medicines found to be S/F in nature were antimicrobials, which failed quality specifications, including under-dosing and absence of active pharmaceutical ingredients (API). These findings underscore the role of poor-quality medicines as a silent driver of AMR. Minilab deployment enables rapid identification of quality risks, facilitates regulatory enforcement actions, informing procurement safeguards to prevent re-entry of poor-quality products into the supply chain.
CONCLUSIONS:
This study demonstrates that medicine quality screening should be recognized as a core component of AMR surveillance and stewardship frameworks. Integrating portable screening technologies e.g the Minilab into national AMR action plans strengthens prevention strategies, protects the effectiveness of existing antimicrobials, and improves treatment outcomes.
Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is exacerbated by circulation of substandard and falsified (S/F) antimicrobials, which expose pathogens to sub-therapeutic drug concentrations, accelerating resistance development. Despite this risk, medicine quality surveillance remains insufficiently integrated into national AMR strategies in many low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). This abstract examines the contribution of Global Pharma Health Fund (GPHF)’s Minilab-based medicine quality screening to AMR prevention efforts.
METHODS:
A retrospective analysis of Minilab screening data across a four year period (2021 to 2024) was conducted to assess trends in medicine quality and establish if there is any relevance to AMR. Medicine samples collected through routine, risk-based surveillance within the Minilab Network were screened using standardized Minilab protocols. Results were analysed by year, product class, and source to identify trends in quality failures. Minilab findings were triangulated with procurement, regulatory, and AMR surveillance information to examine the contribution of medicine quality data to AMR prevention and response activities.
RESULTS:
Screening revealed that the largest proportion of medicines found to be S/F in nature were antimicrobials, which failed quality specifications, including under-dosing and absence of active pharmaceutical ingredients (API). These findings underscore the role of poor-quality medicines as a silent driver of AMR. Minilab deployment enables rapid identification of quality risks, facilitates regulatory enforcement actions, informing procurement safeguards to prevent re-entry of poor-quality products into the supply chain.
CONCLUSIONS:
This study demonstrates that medicine quality screening should be recognized as a core component of AMR surveillance and stewardship frameworks. Integrating portable screening technologies e.g the Minilab into national AMR action plans strengthens prevention strategies, protects the effectiveness of existing antimicrobials, and improves treatment outcomes.
| eISSN: | 2654-1459 |
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