Project

Substandard and falsified medicines pose a severe global health

threat, particularly in low-resource settings where informal drug markets are

widespread. In Burkina Faso, prior research by our consortium found that around

50% of antibiotics sold by informal vendors—street hawkers, market

stalls, and kiosks—are substandard or falsified, exposing consumers to

serious health risks and contributing to antimicrobial resistance (AMR).

Despite these risks, informal vendors play a critical role in

medicine access, especially for underserved communities. Current policy

approaches—such as strict regulatory enforcement and vendor crackdowns—have

largely failed to eliminate these markets and may even exacerbate

healthcare inequalities. This project proposes an alternative,

evidence-based approach: rather than eliminating informal vendors, we

investigate whether they can be integrated into a regulated healthcare

system to ensure safer drug distribution without restricting

access.

Project start:
01. October 2025

Project end:
30. September 2026

Project partners:
Bernhard-Nocht-Institut für Tropenmedizin, Institut de Recherche en Sciences de la Santé, Agence Nationale de Regulation Pharmaceutique, Ministere de la Santé