The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration
and Control (NAFDAC) has issued a warning to Nigerians over the circulation of
counterfeit cancer medications, including Avastin and Tecentriq, in parts of
the country.
In a public alert, the agency disclosed that confirmed
fake batches of Avastin 400mg/16ml (Bevacizumab) and Tecentriq 1200mg/20ml
(Atezolizumab) have been detected in circulation, posing serious health risks
to patients.
The warning followed a report from Roche Nigeria,
which received multiple complaints from healthcare professionals nationwide
about suspected counterfeit products. In some cases, patients presented the
drugs at hospitals after purchasing them at unusually low prices ranging from
?180,000 to ?350,000.
Investigations revealed clear evidence of counterfeit
packaging when compared with genuine samples. NAFDAC highlighted several
discrepancies, including invalid batch numbers, poor printing quality,
incorrect text alignment, and inconsistencies in serialisation and
tamper-evident labels.
The agency identified specific counterfeit batches of
Avastin as H4239A70, H2290A34, and A3508B02, while Tecentriq was flagged under
batch number B3071A12. It noted that chemical testing was not carried out, as
the findings were based on packaging images submitted by complainants.
NAFDAC warned that fake oncology drugs may contain
incorrect or no active ingredients, harmful substances, or wrong dosage levels,
which could lead to treatment failure, worsening of illness, severe side
effects, or even death.
In response, the agency has directed its officials
across the country to intensify surveillance and remove the counterfeit
products from circulation. It also advised importers, distributors, healthcare
providers, and patients to remain vigilant, source medicines only from
authorised channels, and report any suspected counterfeit drugs through
official reporting platforms.
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