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  • Adeyeye exits NAFDAC as acting DG takes over

     

    Culled from Premium Times

    Mrs Adeyeye, a professor, who was appointed in 2017, ended her renewable first term of office on 2 November.

    By Nike Adebowale-Tambe

    Following the expiration of her tenure as the Director General of the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), Moji Adeyeye has exited the office and an acting head has been appointed for the organisation.

    In a leaked internal memo signed by the agency’s Director of Human Resources Management, Oboli A.U, and dated 17 November, directors of various units and departments were notified of the appointment of Monica Eimunjeze as the acting director-general..

    The memo, with reference number NAFDAC/ADM/SM/075, has as its subject: “Appointment of Acting Director General NAFDAC.”

    It reads in part: “The management is in receipt of a letter appointing Dr Monica Eimunjeze as the Acting Director General NAFDAC with effect from 12th November, 2022.

    “I am therefore directed to bring this development to you for information and guidance.”

    Mrs Adeyeye, a professor, who was appointed in 2017, ended her renewable first term of office on 2 November. It is, however, not clear why the announcement of her replacement was delayed and whether her tenure will be renewed.

    Monica Eimunjeze, acting Director General of NAFDAC
    About NAFDAC’s new boss
    According to NAFDAC, the new acting director general’s profile indicates that she studied Pharmacy at Ahmadu Bello University (ABU) Zaria, and graduated in 1986.

    She later bagged her Doctor of Pharmacy (Pharm D) from Mercer University, Atlanta Georgia and a Master of Science (MSc) in Biotechnology, Innovation and Regulatory Science from Purdue University.

    She is said to have a varied experience in the pharmaceutical sector spanning different areas of practice, having had her industrial exposure with GlaxoSmithKline from 1989 to 1996.

    She served the company in various capacities and held different positions including as medical representative, quality control manager, and as regulatory affairs manager.

    Until her appointment as the acting director general, Ms Eimunjeze was NAFDAC’s Director of Registration and Regulatory Affairs.

    She was said to have previously served as the Technical Assistant to the Director General of NAFDAC and as the Director, Drug Evaluation and Research.

     

     

     

  • Counterfeit drugs: N/East stakeholders task NAFDAC, others on awareness creation

    By Reporters

    Bauchi:  Pharmarcists and other stakeholders in the North-East have called for more awareness campaign to combat circulation of counterfeit and falsified pharmaceuticals in the country.

    The experts said the call was imperative to educate the people on the dangers of fake drugs and safeguard public health.

    They spoke while responding to a survey by the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on circulation of fake drugs and chemicals in Bauchi, Damaturu, Dutse, Gombe, Maiduguri and Yola.

    A pharmacist in Yobe, Mr Madu Ali said effective strategies were necessary to strengthen drug regulatory agencies to enable them to combat circulation of falsified drugs in the country.

    He defined fake drug as any drug that do not contain active ingredients, but packaged to look like a genuine product.

    The expert listed the effects of fake drugs to include disease progression, organ failure and prolong duration of treatment.

    Ali, also the Head, Pharmaceutical Services, Specialists’ Hospital, Damaturu, said strengthening the agencies would enhance their operations to ensure that only genuine drugs were in circulation in the country.

    “If you strengthen the drugs management agencies, you will improve their capabilities from mere physical inspection of drug colours to full-fledged laboratory investigation,” he said.

    He said there was an urgent need to ban drug hawking and caution members of the public against patronising open drug markets.

    Ali noted that although many suspected fake drugs were in circulation, the anomaly could only be confirmed by a formal research.

    Recounting her ordeal; Mrs Josephine Audu, a victim of fake drugs in Gombe State, urged NAFDAC to intensify campaign to check circulation of counterfeit drugs and chemicals in the country.

    Audu noted that fake drugs caused adverse side effects rather than providing remedy to diseases.
    “I took a brand of Septrin tablet and developed skin rashes afterwards.
    “I alongside six other females became ill and hospitalised after using the drug,” and urged relevant authorities to step up campaign to curb the menace.

    To buttress the claim, the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) in Borno has raised alarm over circulation of fake agricultural chemicals in the state.
    NAFDAC’s State Coordinator, Jamil Audu said the Agency seized counterfeit agro chemicals in series of raids at markets in Maiduguri metropolis.
    He said unsuspecting farmers used the chemicals for crop production and preservation in spite of associated health risks and environmental hazards.
    “The discoveries are alarming as some people engaged in bad practices.
    “The Agency is conducting awareness campaign as one of the veritable regulatory mechanisms to safeguard public health.
    “We are sensitising marketers, herbal medicine practitioners, water and food processors to effectively regulate their activities,” he said.
    He said the Agency had scaled up sensitisation activities through Consumer Safety Clubs in schools to educate them on how to detect unregistered products.

    nafdacc
    nafdacc

    The campaign, he said, was part of strategies adopted by the Agency to protect the people against unwholesome food, falsified drugs and harmful cosmetics.
    According to him, the siezed items will be destroy after laboratory analysis.
    In the same vein; Mathias Buba, a Civil Society Organisation (CSO) activist, attributed high cases of treatment failure to consumption of fake drugs.
    He said falsified drugs are deadly resulting to organs damage and worsen chronic diseases such as renal failure and liver cirrhosis.
    Buba, therefore, advocated practical measures to regulate drugs import, and urged indigenous pharmaceuticals to adopt measures to make their products accessible.
    In Adamawa; the Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria (PSN), said it had seized and destroyed counterfeit drugs worth over N110 million.

    Chaurman of the association in the state, Mr Ibrahim Talba said the exercise was part of comprehensive campaign to combat fake drugs.
    “We usually conduct routine inspection to remove and destroy expired drugs.
    “Most of the drugs expired or not certified by NAFDAC,” he said.
    ?
    However, Dr Kabir Ibrahim, Executive Secretary, Jigawa Primary Healthcare Development Agency (JSPHCDA), maintained that 100 per cent of drugs had been certified in public health facilities across the state.
    “In Jigawa, 100 per cent of drugs in public health facilities are genuine.
    “We have made it a policy that all public health facilities must procure drugs from the Jigawa Medical Supply Organisation (JIMSO),” Ibrahim said.
    He said JIMSO procured drugs directly from manufacturers and supplied to healthcare facilities in the state.
    The Agency, he said, subjected drug manufacturers to screening, including inspection of manufacturing plants, medicine manufacturing protocols and compliance with medical formulae.
    According to him, the agency also engages manufacturing companies in quality improvement, talks and discussions and on-the-job supervision to ensure supply of genuine drugs. (NAN) (www.nannews.ng)/Flowerbudnews

  • NAFDAC Cautions Farmers as it Nabs suspect producing fake agro-chemicals in Minna

     

    By Obinna Unaeze

    Minna:  The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) in Niger, says it has arrested a suspect, Kabiru Idris, who produces adulterated agro-chemicals in the state.

    Mr James Kigbu, the state Coordinator, NAFDAC, disclosed this on Saturday when the suspect was brought to the agency’s office in Minna with some of the adulterated products.

    “Recently we embarked on surveillance on agro-chemicals within Niger state and arrested one Alhaji Kabiru Idris in Makira, Mashegu Local Government Area, where he produces fake agro-chemicals.

    “Our investigations so far reveal that he is the producer and distributor of agro-chemical known as Dudual 45 per cent used for pest control,” he said.

    Kigbu said that Idris has confessed to the crime and is helping the agency in its investigation into the illicit trade.

    He explained that after investigations, the suspect would be charged to Court and made to pay the necessary fines with written undertaking from the court not to engage in such unwholesome activity again.

    The NAFDAC Coordinator said that before the arrest of Idris, the agency noticed that hawkers with no fixed addresses were selling many agro-chemicals to unsuspecting farmers in the state, especially in the rural areas.

    He said that when the agency arrested some of the hawkers, they revealed that many of them came from Kano state to engage in the unwholesome trade.

    Kigbu said that it was discovered that the agro-chemicals they were selling were fake and expired.

    “The hawkers told us that after each farming season they stored the chemicals and continue with them again in the next farming season,” he said.

    The NAFDAC Coordinator said that many of the hawkers do other jobs but turn to selling fake agro-chemicals because it is lucrative.

    “Some of the hawkers are shoe shiners and water vendors,” he said.

    He cautioned farmers in the rural areas to always purchase their agro-chemicals from a government approved retail outlet to avoid damaging their crops with adulterated agro-chemicals.

    Kigbu noted that the persons who engage in the unwholesome practices use the empty containers of the original products to adulterate the agro-chemicals to defraud unsuspecting farmers.

    Idris, 42, who hails from Mashegu area of the state, told NAN that he had been in the business for nine years now. (NAN) (www.nannews.ng) / Flowerbudnews

  • NAFDAC: New acting D-G to convene meeting with directors

    By Aderogba George

    Abuja: The acting Director-General of the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), Dr Monica Eimunjeze, will on Tuesday convene a meeting with directors of the agency.

    The Director of Public Affairs of the agency, Dr Jimoh Abubakar, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in an interview on Saturday that the meeting is for the D-G to disclose her areas of focus.

    He said that the NAFDAC D-G would also seek the support of the directors to excel in her new task of piloting the agency’s affairs.

    Abubakar said “the new D-G wants to hit the ground running, this is why she has decided to convene a meeting with directors of the agency on Tuesday, Nov. 22.

    nafdacc
    nafdacc

    “She wants to touch on what will be the focus of her administration, using the SWOT analysis and move in quick succession.

    “What I mean by SWOT analysis is for her to look at the Strength, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats for the agency.

    “The meeting will also be looking at gap analysis, this is the process companies use to compare their current performance with their desired, expected performance and look whether we are meeting our expectations.

    “All these will be geared toward improving the system.”

    The appointment of Eimunjeze followed the expiry of the tenure of Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye on Nov. 2.(NAN(www.nannews.ng) / Flowerbudnews

  • NAFDAC integrates its Products Monitoring System (NAPAMS) with FIRS Tax Identification Number Database

     

    by Biola Lawal

    Abuja: (Flowerbudnews): The National Agency for Food and Drugs Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has successfully integrated its Automated Products Administration and Monitoring System (NAPAMS) into the tax database of the Federal Inland Revenue Service. (FIRS).

    A NAFDAC statement made available to Flowerbudnews on Friday in Abuja disclosed that NAPAMS was now integrated with FIRS Tax Identification Number Database”.

    NAFDAC said that the integration ”is to ensure validation and authentication of Tax Identification Numbers (TIN) submitted by clients on the NAPAMS portal”.

    The Agency advised its clients to visit NAPAMS portal to confirm the status of their TIN, adding. ”where it is not validated, clients are required to ensure registration of their TIN with the FIRS before 1st January 2023”.

    NAFDAC warned that clients without validated TIN would not be granted login access into NAPAMS from 1st January 2023: (Flowerbudnews)

    The Full NAFDAC statement below:

    NOTICE TO NAFDAC CLIENTS ON IMPLEMENTATION OF TAX IDENTIFICATION NUMBER (TIN) VALIDATION ISSUED BY THE FEDERAL INLAND REVENUE SERVICE ON THE NAFDAC AUTOMATED PRODUCTS ADMINISTRATION AND MONITORING SYSTEM (NAPAMS) FOR REGULATED PRODUCTS REGISTRATION

    Dear Esteemed Client,

    This is to inform you that NAFDAC has integrated her NAFDAC Automated Products Administration and Monitoring System (NAPAMS) the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) Tax Identification Number Database.

    This is to ensure validation and authentication of Tax Identification Numbers (TIN) submitted by clients on the NAPAMS portal.

    As a result, all clients are advised to visit the NAPAMS portal to confirm the status of their TIN. Where it is not validated, clients are required to ensure registration of their TIN with the FIRS before 1st January 2023.

    Please note that clients without validated TIN would not be granted login access into NAPAMS from 1st January 2023.

    Please take note for compliance.

    Thank you
    Signed Management
    NAFDAC…Customer focused; Agency minded

  • NAFDAC warns stakeholders against sharp practices

    By Yetunde Fatungase

    Abeokuta:  The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has warned stakeholders to avoid practices capable of undermining the functions of the agency.

    The Director, Southwest Zone, Mrs Roseline Ajayi, gave the warning at a recent stakeholders’ engagement in Abeokuta.

    She said the engagement had become imperative to keep stakeholders abreast of evolving technological advancements.

    According to her, the agency recognises that continuous engagement and collaborations would foster better understanding of regulatory requirements between “the regulated and the regulator’’.

    She said that any manufacturer or business owner who flouted any compliance directive would be sanctioned.

    “There’s no doubt that with advancement in technology, increase in knowledge, research outcomes, climate change effect and the AfCFTA agreement, the regulatory space has been evolving.

    “This is why the requirements have also been changing to match with the trend in the regulatory space.

    “Those in the drug manufacturing sector have witnessed a lot of changes recently and all efforts are aimed at repositioning the facilities for global competition,’’ she said.

    She urged stakeholders to use their smart phones for registration and documentation on the agency’s website, to avoid third party influence of being extorted or duped.

    Ajayi said that all stakeholders should see themselves as whistleblowers as the agency could not be everywhere at once.

    She said the agency had strengthened all its processes by providing monitoring tools for more routine and surveillance activities.

    In his remarks, the Coordinator of NAFDAC in Ogun, Mr Daniel Danjuma, thanked the stakeholders for deeming it fit to attend the workshop.

    He noted that the workshop was not to witch-hunt them, rather to help them advance in their businesses with global best practices.

    In their separate responses, the stakeholders urged the agency to create more offices in the state.

    NAN reports that some of the stakeholders include water producers, patent medicine store operators, master bakers, supermarket owners and Micro, Small and Medium Enterprise (MSME) groups. (NAN)/ Flowerbudnews

  • NAFDAC warns bakers using potassium bromate, arrests offenders

    NAFDAC warns bakers using potassium bromate, arrests offenders

     

    The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has cautioned bakers who use potassium bromate as improvers, saying it is dangerous to health.

     

    According to it, as part of its efforts to curb the menace of importation, sales and distribution of counterfeit/fake regulated products and ensuring that only wholesome, safe, quality and efficacious products are imported, manufactured, distributed, sold and used by the Nigerians, it has stepped up efforts to raid defaulters.

     

    The Acting Director-General of NAFDAC, Dr Monica Eimunjeze, at a media briefing in Lagos on Tuesday explained that potassium bromate is a banned flour improver and a known cancer-causing agent.

     

    According to her, potassium bromate has been found to cause kidney failure among other ailments.

     

    “Potassium bromate, popularly known as tablets in the black economy, is always attractive to merchants of death who want to make outrageous profit at the expense of citizens’ wellbeing.

     

    “Bakers use potassium bromate because it helps to improve the texture of bread as well as increases its volume and it is relatively cheap.

     

    “NAFDAC wishes to state that there are recommended healthy flour improvers approved by the Agency.’’

     

    She disclosed that reiterating its resolve to reprimand offenders, operatives of NAFDAC raided and arrested suspects in connection with various fraudulent activities.

     

    “A warehouse containing potassium bromate tablets and unregistered imported EDC – 2000 BREAD IMPROVER was raided by NAFDAC operatives on Dec. 7, 2022.

     

    “ NAFDAC officers raided the warehouse located in Apongbon area of Lagos Island in Lagos where they found 115 cartons of potassium bromate tablets.

     

    “The tablets have a street value of twenty eight million seven hundred and fifty thousand naira (N28,750,000:00).

     

    “The seized tablets could be used with three hundred thousand (300,000) bags of 50kg flour to produce about thirty (30) million family-sized loaves of bread bread.

     

    “Also found in the warehouse were counterfeit EDC Bread Improver, packed in sachets with a fake NAFDAC registration number 01-4242, worth three hundred thousand naira (N300,000:00).

     

    “One Rapoluchukwu Joseph was arrested as the importer during the operation.’’

     

    She explained that apart from improving the texture of a loaf, potassium bromate also increases its volume and it is relatively cheap.

     

    Ejimunjeze said that other counterfeit products found in the warehouse included 400 cartons of counterfeit super delicious cooking margarine with fake NAFDAC registration number:- (a1-2508) and Manufactured date:- 25/01/2022, Expiry date:- 25/01/2024 with various batch numbers.

     

    She further disclosed that the NAFDAC had since Sept. 9, 2022, commenced an investigation which led its operatives to a long span of operations at states including Kano, Kaduna, Delta, Abia and Lagos States.

     

    “After rigorous and painstaking efforts, the Agency’s operatives traced and arrested one Owerekwe Obinna Michael ‘male’ 46 years of 12 Boundry Street, Aba, Abia State as the importer of the counterfeit product.

     

    “At the point of his arrest, the suspect upon sighting the operatives completely destroyed his mobile phone so that the evidence will not be traced to him. He also fought the operatives but was instantly overpowered, arrested and taken into custody.

     

    “He confirmed that he actually imported four hundred (400) cartons of the product with the above details from Dubai through groupage and cleared at Onne Port, Port Harcourt.

     

    “He claimed that the shipment was delivered to him by a clearing Agent, whose name he did not yet disclose He also admitted to distributing the product to markets across the country.

     

    “Preliminary examination of the product showed that the actual manufacturer’s name was not written, but produced for a company in Indonesia.”

    2508) and Manufactured date:- 25/01/2022, Expiry date:- 25/01/2024 with various batch numbers.

     

    She further disclosed that the NAFDAC had since Sept. 9, 2022, commenced an investigation which led its operatives to a long span of operations at states including Kano, Kaduna, Delta, Abia and Lagos States.

     

    “After rigorous and painstaking efforts, the Agency’s operatives traced and arrested one Owerekwe Obinna Michael ‘male’ 46 years of 12 Boundry Street, Aba, Abia State as the importer of the counterfeit product.

     

    “At the point of his arrest, the suspect upon sighting the operatives completely destroyed his mobile phone so that the evidence will not be traced to him. He also fought the operatives but was instantly overpowered, arrested and taken into custody.

     

    “He confirmed that he actually imported four hundred (400) cartons of the product with the above details from Dubai through groupage and cleared at Onne Port, Port Harcourt.

     

    “He claimed that the shipment was delivered to him by a clearing Agent, whose name he did not yet disclose He also admitted to distributing the product to markets across the country.

     

    “Preliminary examination of the product showed that the actual manufacturer’s name was not written, but produced for a company in Indonesia.”

     

    Ejimunjeze enjoined Nigerians to watch out for these injurious products anywhere in the country and report same or any suspected fake/counterfeit or unwholesome product to any nearest NAFDAC Office.(NAN

  • Creams: NAFDAC tasks media officers on Bleaching dissemination of its effect-

    Creams: NAFDAC tasks media officers on Bleaching dissemination of its effect-

    By Aderogba George

    Abuja:.  The National Agency for Food and Drug administration and Control (NAFDAC) has tasked media officers to assist in disseminating to Nigerians the dangers associated with bleaching creams.

    The acting Director-General of the agency, Dr Monica Eimunjeze, made the plea at the flag-off of a nationwide media sensitisation workshop on the dangers of bleaching creams and regulatory controls.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the workshop was basically organised for journalists covering the health sector.

    The acting D-G cautioned Nigerians saying that there were so many bleaching creams in the market that are not regulated by the agency, and so, could cause harm to the body.

    “There are some of the bleaching creamsthat have also gone through the regulatory process on the list of licence items that are available in the record of the agency.

    “There are those who are clandenstally in the market in which the agency is yet to effect the regulatory control, and that Nigerians must be careful about those creams.

    “We see dangers inherent in using those creams products that are not in our regulatory process.

    “So, we are collaborating with health journalists to help us increase awareness on the products that have not gone through the regulatory process on the impact these could have on their health.

    “When you use a product that has chemicals that could affect the body in many ways or systemically cause reaction on the skin and could cause affection on the organ, there are many consequences such as kidney failure, liver damage from an accumulation of toxic chemicals within the system.

    “So, we want people to be aware of possibilities and try to modify their behavior.”

    According to her, though people have the right to make choices, they need to make informed choices that will guide and not the one that will hurt them.

    Eimunjeze stated that there was need for reasonable Nigerians, particularly social scientists, to examine and look at the reasons why people or why some men go for light complexioned women.

    According to her, this notion comes along with the way people perceive themselves to make them more “receivable or acceptable” in the society.

    She stated that the examination was necessary in order to make the peole who bleach to re-orientate themselves to the realities of life.

    She disclosed that the bleaching problem was not peculiar to Nigeria alone, but a global issue that needed to be discussed.

    She condemned the idea of bleaching totally.

    However, she said there were approved creams formulated to suit with one’s peculiar complexion and that this was more acceptable than bleaching the body.

    Eimunjeze stated that a lot of creams are produced that many don’t know the formulation knowledge in which the creams were made, adding that such creams are toxic to the body.

    She vowed that the agency would not allow that to continue to happen, saying that NAFDAC had the clear knowledge of formulation of those under the agency’s regulation.

    The D-G also talked about organic products which are perceived as natural, saying that not all organic products were good for the body they were not under regulation.

    She called on people to begin to make choices that would be more favourable to them. (NAN) (www.nannews.ng)/Flowerbudnews

  • NAFDAC Warns Public Against Counterfeit COVID-19 Antigen Test Kits

     

    By Biola Lawal

    Abuja: (Flowerbudnews): The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration (NAFDAC) has warned Nigerians against use of counterfeited BTNX Incorporated’s COVID-19 rapid antigen test kits.

    NAFDAC Management said in a public notice obtained by Flowerbudnews that the product was confirmed by Canadian Authorities to have been produced without licence.

    The public notice confirmed that The genuine manufacturer BTNX Inc. has confirmed that the devices were counterfeit.

    The notice listed the features of the fake Covid-19 test kits against the original products of BTNX.

    It disclosed that the counterfeited test kits were being sold online in 25-pack boxes by a distributor called Healthful Plus without the required licence.

    The National Agency for Food and Drug Adminis (NAFDAC) is notifying healthcare providers of a safety communication by Health Canada following the discovery of counterfeit BTNX Incorporated COVID-19 rapid antigen test kits in Ontario, Canada.

    The counterfeit test kits were sold online in 25-pack boxes by a distributor called Healthful Plus without the required licence.

    NAFDAC said in the notice entitled;
    Public Alert No. 048/2022 – Warning Against Counterfeit Covid-19 Antigen Rapid Test Kits, that the counterfeit kits were labelled as manufactured by “Health Advance Inc.” instead of BTNX Inc.;

    Below is the Full Alert:

    NAFDAC is notifying healthcare providers of a safety communication by Health Canada following the discovery of counterfeit BTNX Incorporated COVID-19 rapid antigen test kits in Ontario, Canada.

    The counterfeit test kits were sold online in 25-pack boxes by a distributor called Healthful Plus without the required licence.

    The packaging of the counterfeit kits resembles the authentic (licensed) BTNX Inc. products in colour and typeface and uses the BTNX Inc. device identifier “COV-19C25”, but also has several key differences.

    The counterfeit kits: are labelled as manufactured by “Health Advance Inc.” instead of BTNX Inc.; lists Health Advance as an “Official Canadian Distributor”; and includes the text “Health Canada Approved”. Claims of endorsement by government authorities, such as Health Canada, are not permitted.

    Genuine COVID-19 Antigen test helps detect certain proteins in the virus.

    Rapid antigen tests are designed to tell in a few minutes whether someone is infectious or not.

    It is recommended as a high performing test for individuals with symptoms, high-risk populations, and healthcare or casual workers.

    Counterfeit health products are imitations of authentic products. The safety and effectiveness of these counterfeit test kits have not been assessed.

    The genuine manufacturer BTNX Inc. has confirmed that the devices were counterfeit.

    The table below shows the difference between the counterfeit and authentic COVID-19 rapid antigen test kit;

    Image Counterfeit BTNX test kit (25-pack)Counterfeit BTNX test kit (25-pack)Image Authentic BTNX test kit (25-pack)Authentic BTNX test kit (25-pack)

    Counterfeit box (top)

    Health Advance name and phone number along with text “Official Canadian Distributor” and unauthorized text “Health Canada Approved” appear on box.

    Authentic box (top)

    Authentic boxes are sealed with a clear sticker with blue lettering that says “QC APPROVED”.

    Counterfeit box (side)

    Health Advance name and phone number appear on box.

    Authentic box (side)

    BTNX Inc. name, address and symbol appear on box.

     

    Counterfeit kits – three open boxes

    Each box has varying contents, including varying test cassettes and assay buffers.

    Authentic kit – open box

    Shown here: test cassettes, tube stand, assay buffer, swabs, procedure card and package insert.

    Note, assay buffer may come in bottles (shown here) or 25 single-use vials (not shown here).

    Not shown here: extraction tubes and nozzle filters

     

    Counterfeit kits – cassette pouch found in some kits

    Expiry date and lot number may not match the box. Pouches are not green.

     

    Authentic kit – box and cassette pouch (back)

    Lot number and expiry date on cassette pouch should match the lot number and expiry date on the box. Lot numbers start with the letter “I”.

    NAFDAC advice wholesalers, distributors, pharmacies and consumers to ensure that products are obtained from authentic and reliable sources.

    Increased vigilance is hereby encouraged within the supply chain to avoid the importation, distribution, sale or use of the counterfeit COVID-19 rapid antigen test kits and to prevent the administration of the product to unsuspecting patient by healthcare providers.

    The products’ authenticity and physical condition should be carefully checked.

    Anybody in possession of the counterfeit product should immediately discontinue sale or use and submit stock to the nearest NAFDAC office.

    Healthcare providers and consumers are encouraged to report any suspicion of counterfeit drug product to NAFDAC on 0800-162-3322 or email: sf.alert@nafdac.gov.ng, report adverse events experienced with the use of the counterfeit product to the nearest NAFDAC office, via pharmacovigilance@nafdac.gov.ng, E-reporting platforms available at www.nafdac.gov.ng or via the Med- safety application for download on android and IOS stores.(Flowerbudnews)