The National Agency for Food and Drugs Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has raised a red flag over the emergence of parallel importation of certain Novartis Prescription-Only-Medicines (POM) brands, issuing a public advisory to that effect.
The Ports Inspection Directorate of NAFDAC has detected a surge in the seizure of unregistered Novartis brands of Prescription-Only-Medicines (POM) at the Murtala Mohammed International Airport, Ikeja, Lagos, during the months of August and September 2023.
These unregistered medicines are duplicate versions of the original brands, which Novartis Nig. Ltd had already registered with NAFDAC.
Upon inquiry, the Marketing Authorization Holder (MAH), Novartis Nig Ltd, disclosed that they had uncovered unregistered brands of GalvusMet Tablets at a pharmacy in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State.
Differences between registered brand and unregistered brand of GalvusMet
Further investigation revealed that these products were procured from various pharmacies in Turkey by multiple individuals and subsequently amalgamated for export into Nigeria.
Among the intercepted products at the Murtala Mohammed International Airport are packages of Parlodel Tablets, Exforge HCT Tablets, Glucophage tablets, Tegretol CR tablets, along with packaging materials designed for distribution and use in Turkey.
What you should know
The unlawful importation or sale of medications, including counterfeit drugs, poses a grave threat to public health. Such activities bypass the legal importation process, undermining the assurance of product safety, quality, and efficacy.
In response, NAFDAC has ramped up surveillance measures at ports and across states to thwart the importation, distribution, and sale of unregistered pharmaceuticals.
Importers, distributors, retailers, healthcare practitioners, and patients are strongly advised to exercise utmost caution and vigilance throughout the supply chain to avoid dealing with falsified or substandard medicinal products.
It is imperative to source all medical products from authorized and licensed suppliers, accompanied by a thorough assessment of product authenticity and physical condition.
For individuals who may possess these unregistered products, NAFDAC emphatically discourages their use. If any adverse reactions or events are experienced by individuals or those known to have used these products, immediate consultation with qualified healthcare professionals is strongly recommended.
Furthermore, healthcare practitioners and consumers are urged to promptly report any suspicions of adverse drug reactions or the presence of substandard and counterfeit medicines.
Reports can be made to the nearest NAFDAC office, NAFDAC’s toll-free hotline at 0800-162-3322, or via email at sf.alert@nafdac.gov.ng.
In addition, healthcare professionals and patients are encouraged to report any adverse events or side effects related to the use of medicinal products.
These reports can be submitted to the nearest NAFDAC office, or via NAFDAC’s E-reporting platforms available on their website (www.nafdac.gov.ng), or through the Med-safety application, downloadable on both Android and IOS platforms. Alternatively, reports can be sent via email to pharmacovigilance@nafdac.gov.ng.
