<img alt=“WHO.gif” src=“https://blogs.nature.com/nm/spoonful/WHO.gif” width=“160” height=“163” align=“right” hspace = “10px”/>The global war against counterfeit medicines took another step backwards this week.

The story begins last May, when the World Health Organization (WHO) said it would set up a working group to take a second look at the agency’s efforts to curb the number of fake drugs on the market. At the time, some people had criticized the WHO as being overly influenced by pharmaceutical manufacturers in its ongoing crusade against counterfeits. One particular sore point was the International Medical Products Anti-Counterfeiting Taskforce (IMPACT), which counts associations representing pharmaceutical manufacturers and wholesalers amongst its members.

But despite the WHO plan set forth last spring the working group on counterfeit, falsely-labeled and substandard medicines still has not met. Originally scheduled to meet in December, their report is expected at the upcoming meeting of the World Health Assembly in Geneva in May.

The health agency has had a rocky journey in its quest to address counterfeits. It has faced vocal criticism from India, a large manufacturer or generics, which struggled in the past with IMPACT’s broad definition of “counterfeit” drugs.

With the growing numbers of counterfeit and sub-standard medicines flooding the developing world, the move is especially disappointing. A WHO-study released last November indicates that as much as 70% of the anti-malarials and tuberculosis medications do not work against these growing epidemics. With these low-risk, high-reward crimes on the rise, something needs to be done, and done soon.

For more on counterfeits, read our news focus on the subject.