Evidence map›Paper›PMID 38001483›Full record

ReviewGlobalization and health2023

Corruption risks in health procurement during the COVID-19 pandemic and anti-corruption, transparency and accountability (ACTA) mechanisms to reduce these risks: a rapid review.

Kari A Griffore, Andrea Bowra, Sara J T Guilcher, Jillian Kohler

Open access · goldAbstract readReview
In one paragraph

Review in Globalization and health, 2023. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 4 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
4citing papers in PubMed
4.6field-weighted citation impact, top 5% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

4 citing papers in PubMed, 8 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Article
  2. Article
  3. Review
  4. Review
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

4 authors at 2 institutions in 2 countries.

Kari A GrifforeWorld Health Organization Collaborating Centre for Governance, Accountability, and Transparency in the Pharmaceutical Sector, 144 College Street, Toronto, ON, M5S 3M2, Canada.
Andrea BowraDalla Lana School of Public Health, University of Toronto, 155 College St, Toronto, M5T 3M7, Canada.
Sara J T GuilcherLeslie Dan Faculty of Pharmacy, Canada University of Toronto, 144 College Street, Toronto, ON, M5S 3M2, Canada.
Jillian KohlerWorld Health Organization Collaborating Centre for Governance, Accountability, and Transparency in the Pharmaceutical Sector, 144 College Street, Toronto, ON, M5S 3M2, Canada. jillian.kohler@utoronto.ca.ORCID 0000-0003-1290-9484
University of Toronto · CAWorld Health Organization - Pakistan · PK

Funding

Connaught Fund Connaught Global Challenge AwardSocial Sciences and Humanities Research Council 430-2021-00340
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundHealth systems are often susceptible to corruption risks. Corruption within health systems has been found to negatively affect the efficacy, safety, and, significantly, equitable distribution of health products. Enforcing effective anti-corruption mechanisms is important to reduce the risks of corruption but requires first an understanding of the ways in which corruption manifests. When there are public health crises, such as the COVID-19 pandemic, corruption risks can increase due to the need for accelerated rates of resource deployment that may result in the bypassing of standard operating procedures. MAIN BODY: A rapid review was conducted to examine factors that increased corruption risks during the COVID-19 pandemic as well as potential anti-corruption, transparency and accountability (ACTA) mechanisms to reduce these risks. A search was conducted including terms related to corruption, COVID-19, and health systems from January 2020 until January 2022. In addition, relevant grey literature websites were hand searched for items. A single reviewer screened the search results removing those that did not meet the inclusion criteria. This reviewer then extracted data relevant to the research objectives from the included articles. 20 academic articles and 17 grey literature pieces were included in this review. Majority of the included articles described cases of substandard and falsified products. Several papers attributed shortages of these products as a major factor for the emergence of falsified versions. Majority of described corruption instances occurred in low- and middle-income countries. The main affected products identified were chloroquine tablets, personal protective equipment, COVID-19 vaccine, and diagnostic tests. Half of the articles were able to offer potential anti-corruption strategies.

conclusionShortages of health products during the COVID-19 pandemic seemed to be associated with increased corruption risks. We found that low- and middle-income countries are particularly vulnerable to corruption during global emergencies. Lastly, there is a need for additional research on effective anti-corruption mechanisms.

Indexed as

COVID-19COVID-19 VaccinesFraudHumansPandemicsSocial ResponsibilityCOVID-19 VaccinesCorruptionCOVID- 19Falsified medicinesGlobal healthSubstandard medicines

Identifiers

PMID38001483
PMCPMC10675881
OpenAlexW4388978418

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.