The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has issued a stark warning regarding the distribution of counterfeit cancer treatments, namely Avastin and Tecentriq, throughout Nigeria.
In an official alert, NAFDAC informed both healthcare professionals and the public about the confirmed circulation of fake batches of Avastin 400mg/16ml (Bevacizumab) and Tecentriq 1200mg/20ml (Atezolizumab) within the country.
This warning was prompted by reports from Roche Nigeria, which highlighted numerous complaints from healthcare practitioners relating to suspected counterfeit products. It was reported that patients presented these medications at healthcare facilities after acquiring them at suspiciously low prices, ranging from N180,000 to N350,000.
According to the alert, “The Marketing Authorization Holder (MAH) received numerous complaints from healthcare professionals nationwide.” Upon investigation, the MAH (Roche Nigeria) compared the products reported in complaints with genuine samples held for reference. This scrutiny revealed clear signs of counterfeit packaging in the products in question.
NAFDAC pointed out several key discrepancies in the counterfeit medications, including batch numbers that fail to correspond with legitimate records, poor printing quality, incorrect placement of text, and inconsistencies in serialization and tamper-evident labels.
Specific counterfeit batches were identified, including those of Avastin with numbers H4239A70, H2290A34, and A3508B02, as well as Tecentriq with the batch number B3071A12. The agency mentioned that a chemical analysis could not be conducted because the investigation was based solely on packaging images provided by complainants, with no physical samples available for testing.
NAFDAC warns that counterfeit oncology drugs may be devoid of the correct active ingredients, contain harmful contaminants, or have incorrect dosages, potentially leading to treatment failures, disease progression, serious health complications, or fatalities. In response, the agency has instructed its zonal directors and state coordinators to step up surveillance and eliminate these counterfeit products from the market.
Furthermore, NAFDAC urged importers, distributors, healthcare providers, and patients to remain vigilant, ensuring that they only procure medications from authorized suppliers. The agency also encouraged the public to report any suspicious activities through its official communication channels.
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