KEY POINTS
- The National Agency For Food And Drug Administration And Control has reported counterfeit Aflotin 20/120 tablet circulation in the market.
- The counterfeit drug product does not comply with regulatory requirements therefore it presents health dangers to users.
- NAFDAC requires all parties in the market to maintain constant security measures while disposing of counterfeit medications.
NAFDAC issued a warning this Tuesday about counterfeit Artemether/Lumefantrine tablets manufactured as Aflotin 20/120 which circulates throughout Nigeria.
Ajanta Pharma detected the counterfeit drug.
The original drug manufacturer Ajanta Pharma Limited detected this counterfeit product while it operated out of Mumbai India then reported it to NAFDAC.
The NAFDAC traced the counterfeit production of the batch to December 2018 under the specific number PA2128L with expiration set to November 2020.
The drug originated as Combisunate 20/120 tablets before counterfeits of Aflotin 20/120mg tablets appeared in alternative packaging.
NAFDAC raises alarm about health risks and regulatory concerns
From NAFDAC we learned about the risks connected to fake medications because these unverified drugs do not comply with regulatory requirements thus undermining their safety and efficacy and quality.
The public health agency declared that fake medications would provide insufficient treatment thus resulting in fatal medical issues from improper treatment.
NAFDAC’s proactive measures and guidance
The zonal directors and state coordinators of NAFDAC received instructions to conduct surveillance for counterfeit items and take them out of their territories.
The agency instructed all medical product distributors together with healthcare professionals and retail staff and caregivers to check medical product origins with authorized suppliers which have valid licenses.
