Heroin and cocaine are not the only illegal drugs with a terrible impact on global health. Counterfeit medicines can also do damage. Some of these fakes contain potentially toxic chemicals, and when taken to treat a disease they can kill. Others are like homeopathic remedies – while harmless in themselves, as they contain no active ingredients, they do not work as advertised. Efforts to tackle drug crime have prioritised illegal drugs and so have not dealt with crimes that are just as serious. This should now be remedied.