NAFDAC Detects Fake Cancer Drugs In Abuja, Kano
The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has raised alarm over the circulation of two batches of counterfeit cancer drug, Avastin 400mg/16ml.
In a statement shared on its X handle (formally twitter), NAFDAC said the affected batches, H0223B08 and H4239A70, were identified in Kano and Abuja and
It further noted that a pharmacist reported the purchase of the counterfeit drugs by a patient from a pharmacy in Kano.
According to NAFDAC, counterfeit Avastin Vials 400 mg/16 ml with batch H4239A70, was reported by a Pharmacist at the Federal Medical Center, Abuja.
It said, “However, investigation has confirmed that the genuine batch number H0223B08 is associated with Avastin 400mg/16ml in Vietnamese make-up, the genuine product was distributed to Vietnam in July 2020, and the batch H0223B08 already expired in July 2022.
“Also, the investigation revealed that no batch tracing was possible for Avastin 400mg/16ml with batch no H4239A70 as this is not a genuine Roche product and the batch number doesn’t exist in their database.
“Avastin 400mg Injection is an anticancer medication. It is used in the treatment of cancer of the colon and rectum, non-small cell lung cancer, kidney cancer, brain tumor, ovarian and cervical cancer. It helps to prevent the growth of new blood vessels that feed tumors and stops tumors from growing.”
The agency warned, “Counterfeit medicines may be harmful to health because while being passed off as authentic, it may contain the wrong ingredients, contain too much, too little or no active ingredient at all or contain other harmful ingredients and can result to poisoning,treatment failure and compromised drug effectiveness.
“The correct manufacturing site for genuine Avastine vial 400mg/16ml is Roche Diagnostics GmbH Sandhofer Strasse 11668305, Mannheim, Germany.”
NAFDAC Detects Fake Cancer Drugs In Abuja, Kano is first published on The Whistler Newspaper
