By: Sunday Ameh
The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has issued a public alert warning Nigerians about the circulation of counterfeit cancer medications, including Avastin and Tecentriq, across the country.
In a statement, the agency said it had received confirmed reports of falsified batches of Avastin 400mg/16ml and Tecentriq 1200mg/20ml in circulation, following complaints from healthcare professionals nationwide.
NAFDAC disclosed that the alert was triggered by information from Roche Nigeria, which identified discrepancies between suspected counterfeit products and genuine samples.
According to the agency, the fake drugs were often sold at significantly lower prices, ranging from N180,000 to N350,000, raising suspicion among medical practitioners and patients.
Investigations revealed multiple inconsistencies in the counterfeit products, including invalid batch numbers, poor-quality packaging, incorrect text placement, and irregular serialisation systems. Specific counterfeit batches identified include Avastin with batch numbers H4239A70, H2290A34, and A3508B02, as well as Tecentriq batch B3071A12.
NAFDAC warned that counterfeit oncology drugs may contain little or no active ingredients, harmful substances, or incorrect dosages—posing serious health risks such as treatment failure, disease progression, severe complications, or death.
The agency said it has directed its zonal directors and state coordinators to intensify surveillance and remove the fake products from circulation.
It also urged importers, distributors, healthcare providers, and patients to remain vigilant and ensure medicines are sourced only from authorised and verified suppliers.
Members of the public were advised to report suspected cases of counterfeit or substandard medicines through NAFDAC’s official channels.
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