Op-Ed: Substandard Cancer Drugs Are a Global Scandal — and a Public Health Emergency for LMICs

By Mr. Eric Karikari-Boateng
July 11, 2025 Kigali, Rwanda and San Francisco, USA

The recent revelation that nearly 20% of tested chemotherapy drugs failed basic quality standards is more than just alarming—it is a global public health crisis, with devastating consequences, especially for patients in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). Cancer is already a death sentence for too many in resource-limited settings. Substandard medicines only compound this tragedy, turning hope into harm.

A landmark study by the University of Notre Dame, published in collaboration with the Bureau of Investigative Journalism, tested 189 samples of common cancer drugs sourced from over 100 countries. The findings were sobering: one in five samples failed. Some had too little of the active ingredient to be effective—others had dangerously high concentrations, risking severe toxicity. In both scenarios, patients are being failed by the very systems meant to protect them.

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