By Flowerbudnews
The Director General of the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye has cautioned Nigerians against use of counterfeited Artemether/Lumefantrine tablets with the brand name Aflotin 20/120.
In a public alert on the Agency’s X handle, Prof. Adeyeye disclosed that the counterfeited product was discovered and reported to the Agency by the genuine manufacturer, Ajanta Pharma Limited from Mumbai, India,
”“Genuine Aflotin 20/120 tablet is a combination of Artemether/Lumefantrine (20mg/120mg) and is primarily used for the treatment of uncomplicated malaria caused by the Plasmodium falciparum parasite,” Prof. Adeyeye stated.
She said Ajanta Pharma disclosed that it manufactured the counterfeited product with batch number PA2128L in December 2018, with an expiry date of November 2020.
Ajanta Pharma said that the batch was created for Combisunate 20/120 (Artemether 20mg/Lumefantrine 120mg Tablets), with a pack size of 30 x 24 tablets, but had now been counterfeited and was being sold as Aflotin 20/120mg with a pack size of 1 x 18 tablets.
The company added that the overprinted matter did not match Ajanta’s overprinting style.
Prof. Adeyeye said that the company had confirmed that the Aflotin 20/120mg with Batch No: PA2128L available in the Nigerian market was a counterfeit, as determined by the investigation carried out and observations made on the product.
“The genuine Aflotin 20/120 tablet is a combination of Artemether/Lumefantrine (20mg/120mg) and is primarily used for the treatment of uncomplicated malaria caused by the Plasmodium falciparum parasite,” She said.
The NAFDAC Boss emphasised that counterfeit medicines endangered people’s health because they do not comply with regulatory standards, which meant the safety, quality, and efficacy of these products are not ensured.
“The use of counterfeit medicines often fail to treat diseases or conditions effectively, leading to serious health consequences, including death,” the NAFDAC DG said.
She directed all NAFDAC coordinators to conduct surveillance and remove any counterfeit products found within their zones and states.
Prof. Adeyeye also urged distributors, retailers, healthcare professionals, and caregivers to exercise caution and vigilance within the supply chain to avoid the distribution, sale, and use of counterfeit products.
She advised that all medical products must be obtained from authorised/licensed suppliers. (
