Fake Drugs Sold Like Peanuts

Nigerian police intercepted a pharmacist storing fake medicines in plastic buckets, including ones that had not been legitimately produced in more than nine years.

Nigerian police intercepted a pharmacist storing fake medicines in plastic buckets, including ones that had not been legitimately produced in more than nine years.

The Nigerian National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) raised a national alarm that a counterfeit medicine was packaged and sold as Fulcin, an anti-fungal treatment, which was discontinued by its maker in 2002. Dr. Paul Orhii, Director General, said, “Any Fulcin in circulation is fake and should not be consumed or sold. Anyone with information or in possession of Fulcin should voluntarily submit them or notify the nearest NAFDAC office or police station for immediate action,” reports the Nigerian Daily Sun.

As well as the counterfeit anti-fungal, the pharmacist was also allegedly selling fake antibiotics and fake anti-malarials. The pharmacist was distributing the drugs using nylon peanut bags.

“The drugs were stored without date markings in transparent plastic buckets, for sale to the public. The tablets were at various stages of degradation ranging from discoloration to disintegration,“ said Mr. Orhii.

“The Agency has launched a full scale investigation to unravel the source of the fake drugs which are currently being subjected to further laboratory analysis,” said Mr. Orhii.