Estimating the true cost of substandard and falsified cancer medicines is difficult, largely because their definitions, detection, and reporting remain limited and inconsistent. Emerging evidence indicates that the impacts of SF medicines are far-reaching, from eroding public health systems, to inflicting psychological damage and suppressing national development. The wellbeing of entire populations, in particular vulnerable groups like the poor and the chronically ill, is threatened by the crisis of SF medicines.
- Adverse reactions and toxicity: Contaminated or incorrectly formulated drugs can cause severe side effects or organ damage, increasing morbidity and mortality
- Treatment failure: Patients may receive insufficient or no active ingredient, leading to cancer progression.
- Delayed access to effective therapy: Time lost on ineffective SF drugs can reduce survival chances.
- Loss of trust in healthcare: Patients may lose confidence in clinicians, hospitals, or the medicine supply system.
- Psychological distress: Anxiety, fear, and hopelessness increase when treatments fail or worsen health
- Financial burden: Families may spend money on ineffective or harmful treatments, often repeatedly.
- Costs from prolonged illness (travel, caregiving, funeral expenses)
- Lost productivity and missed work/school
- Increased poverty: Lost income, reduced household stability and reduced social mobility
- Burden on economy: Countries spend an average of $US 30.5 billion per year on SF medicines (all categories of SF medicines).
- Health system losses due to ineffective or wasted treatments
- Increased use of health services and longer hospital stays
- Additional diagnostics and need for second-line therapies
- Higher costs from drug-resistant infections
Source: WHO 2025