Urgent Health Alert! Regulator Orders Immediate Withdrawal of Over 100 Drug Brands, Including Popular Malaria and Blood Pressure Treatments, Citing Safety Concerns.
The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has announced a massive crackdown on substandard medicines, ordering the immediate withdrawal, suspension, and cancellation of 101 pharmaceutical products from the Nigerian market.
This extraordinary move is an urgent effort by the federal regulator to protect the public from the growing danger of fake and unapproved drugs, which can be ineffective or harmful.
The message is clear: these 101 products are now officially banned and are no longer permitted for manufacturing, importation, distribution, sale, or use anywhere in Nigeria.
Key Drugs Taken Off The Shelves
The list of banned items is extensive and affects many common drugs found in homes and pharmacies across the Niger Delta region and the rest of the country.
Crucially, the withdrawal targets some of the most widely used treatments, including:
- Antimalarial Drugs: Various formulations of essential malaria treatments, such as Artemether/Lumefantrine products and Artesunate Amodiaquine (ASAQ).
- Cardiovascular Medicines: Drugs used to treat conditions like high blood pressure (Hypertension), including certain Valsartan and Amlodipine products.
- Diabetes Treatments: Several medicines used to manage diabetes, such as specific formulations of Januvia/Janumet.
- Specialty Products: Other banned items include some insulin/growth-hormone injectables, eye drops, and inhalers.
These products were manufactured and registered by several well-known pharmaceutical companies, including names like Sanofi Aventis Nigeria Ltd, Novartis Nigeria Limited, and Bayer East Africa Limited.
Why Were These Products Banned?
NAFDAC explained that the action was taken for three main reasons:
- Withdrawal: The company that owned the product asked to discontinue the registration.
- Suspension: The conditions under which the NAFDAC licence was first given are no longer being met, and the agency is investigating the situation.
- Cancellation: NAFDAC has revoked the product’s registration licence entirely, often due to significant safety, quality, or compliance failures.
This action reinforces reports by the World Health Organisation (WHO) which estimate that as many as 1 in 10 medicines in low-income countries may be substandard or falsified, posing a major risk to public health.
Nigerians are strongly advised to check the official NAFDAC website or consult a pharmacist to ensure any medication you or your family are currently taking is not on this new list. If your medicine is on the list, you must immediately stop using it and seek a verified alternative.
