The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has issued an urgent warning to healthcare providers, patients, and the public over the confirmed circulation of counterfeit cancer medicines in Nigeria, citing serious risks to treatment effectiveness and patient safety.
Investigations by NAFDAC, prompted by reports from Roche Nigeria and local healthcare professionals, identified falsified products through discrepancies in packaging, labeling, serial numbers, and tamper-evident features—clear indicators that the drugs were not genuine.
The alert, issued yesterday, specifically covers confirmed counterfeit batches of Avastin 400mg/16ml (bevacizumab) and Tecentriq 1200mg/20ml (atezolizumab) circulating in the country. The agency emphasized that these substandard drugs could worsen patients’ conditions or cause serious harm.
Affected batches of Avastin include H4239A70, H2290A34, A3508B02, K1830T71, and H0375B01, while Tecentriq involves B3071A12, with the fake versions often sold at suspiciously lower prices through unregulated channels.
NAFDAC warned that counterfeit oncology medicines may contain incorrect ingredients, no active ingredients, harmful contaminants, or incorrect dosages, making them extremely dangerous for patients being treated for cancers such as glioblastoma, lung, liver, and others.
The agency urged heightened vigilance when sourcing these high-value medications, which can cost between ₦2 million and ₦10 million per vial, and advised procurement only from licensed pharmacies and verified suppliers to prevent life-threatening consequences.
Healthcare providers and members of the public are encouraged to report any suspected counterfeit products immediately to NAFDAC through official channels, supporting ongoing enforcement efforts and helping prevent further distribution of these dangerous drugs.