Authorities warn that fake HIV drugs are found in Kenya despite a crackdown on counterfeits

By EMMANUEL IGUNZA
Associated Press

NAIROBI, Kenya (AP) — Kenyan authorities have issued a warning about the sale of counterfeit HIV prevention drugs in the country, saying their “safety, quality and efficacy cannot be assured.” The Pharmacy and Poisons Board said the drugs were in two batches falsely labeled as Truvada, a commonly used HIV prevention drug worldwide. Truvada is manufactured by U.S.-based Gilead Sciences Inc., which in January warned that millions of dollars’ worth of fake versions of its HIV drugs were being sold in the U.S., posing dangers to patients. But their discovery in Kenya, East Africa’s commercial hub, shows the herculean task of tackling fake medicines.