FORESFA collaborators meet for third annual project update

Almost 40 FORESFA Collaboration members, from 10 different countries in Africa, Asia, Americas and Europe, met at Jesus College, Oxford, from September 4 to 6, for the three-day conference.

FORESFA (Forensic Epidemiology and impact of Substandard and Falsified Antimicrobials) Collaboration members came from a range of fields including forensic and environmental sciences, genomic surveillance, archaeological sciences, representatives of the World Health Organization and the pharmaceutical industry 

New collaborators from Staffordshire University, Cranfield University, University of Lausanne, the World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH), Bristol University and the Departments of Earth Sciences and of Archaeology and the Centre for Genomic Pathogen Surveillance at Oxford University were also welcomed.

The FORESFA Project aims to improve understanding of the epidemiology of substandard and falsified (SF) antimicrobials and their impact on global public health. The project involves adapting and evaluating forensic tools to identify sources and trade routes of falsified antimicrobials. Collaborators are also investigating the public health impact of SF medicines to inform global policy and improve the global medicine supply.

During the meeting, working groups presented on their projects and plans for the final year of the Wellcome Collaborative Award were discussed in interactive sessions.

Among the project updates were:

• Analysis of network structures of national and transnational organised crime groups and investigates how they operate and solve trust related questions
• The Medicine Quality Monitoring Globe and the role that artificial intelligence can play in the future were discussed
• The public health impact of substandard and falsified (SF) medicines, including the study of the development of antimicrobial resistance in the treatment of malaria and typhoid with SF medicines using different models.
• Laboratory analysis results on analysis of the composition of falsified tablets, including the environmental DNA (the 'pharmabiome') within, the stable isotope composition of their components such as starch, and forensic packaging and tablet analysis
• Policy and public engagement and plans for the next Medicine Quality and Public Health Conference in 2026 

Attendees also visited an exhibition on falsified medicines in the History of Science Museum, in Oxford. 

Dr Cathrin Hauk, of Medicine Quality Research Group said: “It was fantastic to see how the project has taken shape over the last three years and how it has evolved through collaborations with experts from very different fields. It is a great pleasure to work with such a motivated team on this interesting and multifaceted topic” 

Dr Laura Wilkinson, of Staffordshire University, said: "I really enjoyed being able to present the work carried out by Staffordshire University for the FORESFA project and gain some valuable feedback. It was a real pleasure to be able to meet the other members of the team and to listen to all of the fantastic work that they are carrying out for this incredibly interesting project." 

FORESFA is supported with funding from Wellcome (Wellcome Collaborative Award). Learn more about the project.