From Fred Ezeh Abuja
National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has warned pharmaceutical companies against being a channel for sale and marketing of fake and substandard drugs, knowingly or otherwise.
The Agency said it will not hesitate to clamp down on any pharmaceutical outlets where falsified drugs are dispensed for public use, or being used as link in the marketing and distribution of fake and substandard medical products.
NAFDAC in a statement, on Sunday, noted that it had a productive engagement with stakeholders involved in the pharmaceutical products supply chain in its resolve to put an end to the menace and effectively safeguard the health of Nigerians.
The stakeholders include; the World Health Organization (WHO); United States Pharmacopeia (USP); Pharmaceutical Manufacturers Group of Manufacturers Association of Nigeria ( PMG-MAN); Association of Community Pharmacist of Nigeria (ACPN); Pharmaceutical Wholesalers Association of Nigeria (PWDAN).
Others are; Nigerian Representatives of Overseas Pharmaceutical Manufacturers (NIROPHARM); Association of Pharmaceutical Importers of Nigeria (APIN); Association of Hospital and Administrative Pharmacist of Nigeria (AHAPN); Nigeria Army Medical Corps; Nigeria Medical Association (NMA); National of Veterinary Medical Association(NVMA). Others are different companies represented under PMG-MAN, APIN, PWDAN, and Niropharm.
NAFDAC Director General, Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye, at the meeting emphasized the need to explore new approach to combat the sale and distribution of substandard and falsified medical products within the supply chain, and threatened to take unfriendly actions against any pharmaceutical company found to be aiding and abetting such actions.
She said the engagement with pharmaceutical supply chain stakeholders serve as a means of thinking together and putting in place a position that will represent or guide collective efforts and strategy to prevent, detect, and respond to substandard and falsified medicinal products. “The goal is to ensure that medical products in circulation are of the quality standard required and safe for public use.”
The NAFDAC boss further noted that high prevalence of substandard and falsified medical products in Africa was a major threat to public health, attributing it to weak regulation in the region. “The menace of substandard and falsified medical products threatens access to safe, efficacious, and affordable medicines, undermining health systems and the achievement of Universal Health Coverage (UHC) globally.
“With the mandate to regulate and control the manufacture, importation, exportation, distribution, advertisement, sale, and use of drugs, cosmetics, chemicals, detergents, medical devices, and packaged water generally referred to as Regulated Products, this puts a burden on us to lead the fight against substandard and falsified medical products in Nigeria, and support efforts that will see a reduction in the prevalence of such medical products both locally manufactured and imported.”
She further explained that NAFDAC is not the only regulatory Agency in terms of substandard falsified medicines, highlighting the responsibilities of the Pharmacy Council of Nigeria (PCN) in the fight against fake drugs, and appreciating the cordial relationship that exists between the two sister agencies.
Prof. Adeyeye maintained that NAFDAC is doing its best to fight the issue of substandard and falsified products, but insisted that such fight is based on three broad thematic areas, notably, Prevent, Detect, and Respond (PDR). “NAFDAC operatives are not just going on the streets to look for substandard falsified medicines, but also going after products that have been approved in Southeast Asia en route Nigeria,” she said.