Each time you accept a prescription at the pharmacy counter, you are entrusting your life, and the lives of your friends and family, in the hands of both the pharmacist and the company that made the drugs they prepare.

There is no margin for error when it comes to many of these pharmaceutical drugs, but, unfortunately, errors are becoming more and more common.

At least, that’s what the corporate drug industry wants you to believe.

“Errors” are oftentimes actually approved counterfeit versions of medicine, ones that are estimated to take the lives of 2,000 people each day. Especially rampant in vulnerable societies, those that are rural, less-educated, and have little to no other options, counterfeit drugs are also a serious threat to individuals in the United States and other western nations.

According to one study, 26% to 44% of all antimalarial drugs do not meet quality standards and, it’s not due to accidental error, but rather it’s attributed to human greed.

Counterfeiters in the pharmaceutical world are killing massive amounts of people around the world because of their desire to cut corners in order to add more money to their bottom line. By taking advantage of innocent people who find themselves in desperate situations, these companies are knowing selling unsafe pills.

Thankfully, Bright Simons, a Ghanian social innovator, entrepreneur, and researcher, has innovated a way to save people from counterfeit pharmaceuticals.

Known as MPedigree, Simons has been using his healthcare chatbot for the past decade to help patients successfully identify counterfeit medicines. Because of his innovative work, Simons’ MPedigree was given the Net Explo Grand Prix award from UNESCO, recognizing his pioneering use of digital tech to help individuals at risk around the world.

MPedigree uses its bots to help the general public access information about the drugs they are receiving.

By simply texting in a drug’s serial number, MPedigree quickly queries databases, providing the consumer with results that allow them to authenticate the drug in question.

A valuable and potentially life-saving innovation, many healthcare organizations are now following suit, leveraging AI chatbots to help save the lives of its patients around the globe.

As chatbots, like the ones used by MPedigree get smarter, it’s likely that they will be able to provide customers with information about trends, effectively mobilizing communities to take a stand against counterfeit companies trying to take advantage.

When consumers stop buying drugs from pharmacies known for carrying counterfeit prescriptions, it will force big corporations to listen, and to help put an end to the fake medicines that are currently running rampant across the globe.