National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has urged medicine dealers, stakeholders in pharmaceutical business and Nigerians to share information with it in order to arrest fake medicine paddlers.
The State Coordinator of NAFDAC in Enugu State, Mr Chike Obiano, made the appeal while speaking with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Enugu on Friday.
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According to Obiano, sharing information and intelligence with NAFDAC will further enhance the regulatory actions and functions of the Agency.
“Medicine dealers, stakeholders in the pharmaceutical business and Nigerians should report any suspicious counterfeit pharmaceutical product or medicine in circulation to NAFDAC.
“Our offices nationwide, as well as the one at the Federal Secretariat in Enugu here, are always open for public complaints or enquiry.
“If you see or notice anything wrong to any medicine or our regulated products; share with us in our offices or meet our staff. We will take it up from there,’’ he said.
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He noted that NAFDAC was intensifying its regulatory functions through regular markets and shops visits, mopping up of expired and suspicious products and use of technology, to track down counterfeited medicines.
He, however, urged stakeholders in the medicine business to secure their supply chain as well as monitor supply chain in their operational areas on receipt of counterfeit product alerts to avoid infiltration.
“Ensure sourcing of products, especially medicines, are traceable and authentic sources with proper documentation (Receipts /invoices with complete and accurate details of supplier).’’
The state coordinator noted that counterfeiters of medicines targeted medicines high in demand, expensive medicines and scarce Medications.
“Their other targets include branded medicines discontinued by multinational firms and banned pharmaceutical products with high market demand.“
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He listed classes of medicines prone to counterfeiting to include; Anti-malarial, Antibiotics, Antifungals, Analgesics/Anti-Inflammatory agents and Sedatives/Anxiolytics.
Others are; Anticancer drugs, Anti-hypertensive, Ant diabetics, lifestyle drugs, Antiviral drugs, Immunological products, Antimigraine agents, Hormonal agents among others.
