A lot has been done to stem the manufacture and distribution of fake products, but current realities indicate the battle is far from over,
A couple of months ago, Bolanle Adeniyi, an Abuja-based secondary school teacher, noticed she was having terrible aches and pains all over her body. On going to the laboratory for a check-up, tests proved she was pregnant, so a slew of medications followed.
But that was where the story began, because her condition did not improve. In fact, matters got to a head when, after being given an injection, Bolanle suddenly passed out. Subsequently, it was discovered that her condition was brought on by the expired drugs she had been taking without knowing, since their expiry dates had been fudged. A counterfeit medication or drug is a pharmaceutical product produced and sold with the intent to deceptively represent its origin, authenticity or effectiveness. It may contain inappropriate active ingredients, be improperly processed within the body (e.g., absorption by the body), ingredients that are not on the label (which may or may not be harmful), and are often sold with inaccurate, incorrect, or fake packaging and labelling.
A way one can determine whether a drug is counterfeit or not is by performing a chemical analysis in a laboratory. But there are some signs that can help the public, for instance strange smell, taste or colour, cracks or chips, poor quality packages with misspelled labels, or labels that have directions that seem incorrect or cost very little, especially compared with the normal price of that particular drug though this last point may not be totally true considering that some people actually sell the fake for the same price as the original, says Gbemileke Odunmosu, a lab scientist.
Recently, Paul Orhii, director-general, National Agency for Food, Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), disclosed that the agency intercepted 7 truckloads of fake drugs valued at over N600 million at Idi-Iroko, a border town in Lagos State. The counterfeit drugs, which were being hauled into Nigeria from a neighbouring country, were part of 21 truckloads of fake drugs destined for the country.
Earlier this month, the same agency destroyed unwholesome products worth over N220million in Kaduna State. The products comprised fake drugs, expired food, cosmetics, etc seized from importers and manufacturers, as well as fake drugs seized from hawkers by various NAFDAC establishments in the northern part of the country. This is why citizens must realise that substandard products go beyond just drugs to include cosmetics and other consumables. Chinyere Ike, an accountant with a new generation bank, witnessed this first hand when she bought her staple cream at a store other than her favourite. Before long, she started having rashes on her body. On visiting a dermatologist, Chinyere was asked to bring the cream she had purchased, which was found to be counterfeit. I observed a slight change in the smell but did not take it that seriously until the rashes spread. I will be more careful next time. It a shame that people can do anything to make money even if it means harming others, she declares.
Though Orhii has assured of NAFDAC determination to tackle dealers and fakers of drugs and other consumables in the country, a lot more obviously needs to be done, at least as far as Amaka Ugochukwu, a pharmacist and regulatory affairs manager, Chi Pharmaceuticals, is concerned: It is true that fake drugs and products have been an issue, but I would suggest the following: first, medication should be shown to the pharmacist, the professional who is the most familiar with how the medication and its packaging should look. The pharmacist will know if the manufacturer of the medication recently changed the appearance, flavour, or packaging of the drug. Additionally, if your pharmacy has changed from one generic drug manufacturer to another, then the colour or shape of your medication may be different. In this event, your pharmacist can verify that your medication is not counterfeit and explain the change. Buy medications only from licensed pharmacies and get a receipt. Do not buy drugs from open markets, check with the pharmacist in the foreign drugstore whether the drug has the same active ingredient as the one that you were taking, and determine that the medication is in its original packaging.
NAFDAC acquired the Truscan machine late last year to check the incidence of fake drug peddling in the country. But the fight is still far from over, as Anyakora Clementina, the agency deputy director, states:The issue of fake drugs has given Nigeria a bad name, as if the country is a dumping ground for fake drugs.
Her assertion is right on target, which is why it behooves every Nigerian to be more careful when purchasing drugs and other consumables so that, in the final analysis, healthy living for all would not remain a pipe dream.
A couple of months ago, Bolanle Adeniyi, an Abuja-based secondary school teacher, noticed she was having terrible aches and pains all over her body. On going to the laboratory for a check-up, tests proved she was pregnant, so a slew of medications followed.
But that was where the story began, because her condition did not improve. In fact, matters got to a head when, after being given an injection, Bolanle suddenly passed out. Subsequently, it was discovered that her condition was brought on by the expired drugs she had been taking without knowing, since their expiry dates had been fudged. A counterfeit medication or drug is a pharmaceutical product produced and sold with the intent to deceptively represent its origin, authenticity or effectiveness. It may contain inappropriate active ingredients, be improperly processed within the body (e.g., absorption by the body), ingredients that are not on the label (which may or may not be harmful), and are often sold with inaccurate, incorrect, or fake packaging and labelling.
A way one can determine whether a drug is counterfeit or not is by performing a chemical analysis in a laboratory. But there are some signs that can help the public, for instance strange smell, taste or colour, cracks or chips, poor quality packages with misspelled labels, or labels that have directions that seem incorrect or cost very little, especially compared with the normal price of that particular drug though this last point may not be totally true considering that some people actually sell the fake for the same price as the original, says Gbemileke Odunmosu, a lab scientist.
Recently, Paul Orhii, director-general, National Agency for Food, Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), disclosed that the agency intercepted 7 truckloads of fake drugs valued at over N600 million at Idi-Iroko, a border town in Lagos State. The counterfeit drugs, which were being hauled into Nigeria from a neighbouring country, were part of 21 truckloads of fake drugs destined for the country.
Earlier this month, the same agency destroyed unwholesome products worth over N220million in Kaduna State. The products comprised fake drugs, expired food, cosmetics, etc seized from importers and manufacturers, as well as fake drugs seized from hawkers by various NAFDAC establishments in the northern part of the country. This is why citizens must realise that substandard products go beyond just drugs to include cosmetics and other consumables. Chinyere Ike, an accountant with a new generation bank, witnessed this first hand when she bought her staple cream at a store other than her favourite. Before long, she started having rashes on her body. On visiting a dermatologist, Chinyere was asked to bring the cream she had purchased, which was found to be counterfeit. I observed a slight change in the smell but did not take it that seriously until the rashes spread. I will be more careful next time. It a shame that people can do anything to make money even if it means harming others, she declares.
Though Orhii has assured of NAFDAC determination to tackle dealers and fakers of drugs and other consumables in the country, a lot more obviously needs to be done, at least as far as Amaka Ugochukwu, a pharmacist and regulatory affairs manager, Chi Pharmaceuticals, is concerned: It is true that fake drugs and products have been an issue, but I would suggest the following: first, medication should be shown to the pharmacist, the professional who is the most familiar with how the medication and its packaging should look. The pharmacist will know if the manufacturer of the medication recently changed the appearance, flavour, or packaging of the drug. Additionally, if your pharmacy has changed from one generic drug manufacturer to another, then the colour or shape of your medication may be different. In this event, your pharmacist can verify that your medication is not counterfeit and explain the change. Buy medications only from licensed pharmacies and get a receipt. Do not buy drugs from open markets, check with the pharmacist in the foreign drugstore whether the drug has the same active ingredient as the one that you were taking, and determine that the medication is in its original packaging.
NAFDAC acquired the Truscan machine late last year to check the incidence of fake drug peddling in the country. But the fight is still far from over, as Anyakora Clementina, the agency deputy director, states:The issue of fake drugs has given Nigeria a bad name, as if the country is a dumping ground for fake drugs.
Her assertion is right on target, which is why it behooves every Nigerian to be more careful when purchasing drugs and other consumables so that, in the final analysis, healthy living for all would not remain a pipe dream.
We Chuanzhoug, Chinese minister of quality supervision, inspection and quarantine, on Monday said that Nigerian and Chinese businessmen have been colluding to import substandard products from China.
Mr. We said this when he visited Josephine Tapgun, minister of state for commerce and industry, at her office in Abuja. He said the Chinese government is already inspecting some markets in Nigeria to ascertain the level of substandard products imported from China. He said a high-level discussion is already on between the two governments to fine-tune ways of curbing the menace.
"The impact of the influx of substandard products from China to Nigeria has become a disturbing practice to the Chinese government," he said.
Mr. We said this when he visited Josephine Tapgun, minister of state for commerce and industry, at her office in Abuja. He said the Chinese government is already inspecting some markets in Nigeria to ascertain the level of substandard products imported from China. He said a high-level discussion is already on between the two governments to fine-tune ways of curbing the menace.
"The impact of the influx of substandard products from China to Nigeria has become a disturbing practice to the Chinese government," he said.
Lets God Deliver Nigeria
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