The National Agency for Food, Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) says there is circulation of a fake anti-hypertensive drug.
According to the agency’s Director General, Prof. Moji Adeyeye, the drug, Hydrochlorothiazide 50mg (containing Glibenclamide), was already on sale in neigbouring Cameroun.
“NAFDAC is alerting the public, especially healthcare providers, to the circulation of confirmed faked Hydrochlorothiazide 50mg tablets in Cameroun,” Adeyeye said in a press release.
“The faked product has been found to contain Glibenclamide instead of Hydrochlorothiazide.
“In March, the World Health Organisation was informed by an NGO in Cameroun that a medicine, presented as Hydrochlorothiazide 50mg tablets, has caused hypoglycaemia (deficiency of glucose in the bloodstream) in patients.
“Confirmatory laboratory analysis has established that the product did not contain hydrochlorothiazide, the stated active ingredient; rather, glibenclamide was instead identified.”
She explained that the genuine version of the drug was for treatment of hypertension, while the falsified medicine poses grave danger to patients.
“The falsified medicine presents a risk for patients who take hydrochlorothiazide for the treatment of hypertension,” she added.
“The label on the plastic container of this faked product states Laboratoires Sterop as the manufacturer; however, this company has confirmed to WHO that it did not manufacture or supply the faked product.
“The Falsified hydrochlorothiazide 50mg is presented in plastic containers of 1000 tablets each.”
The NAFDAC DG further said the drug, which had a batch number of 16G04, also carried 16/2017 as its Manufacture Date and 30/05/2021 as Expiry Date.
Source:Concisenews