List Of Drugs Ban In Nigeria By NAFDAC

Every country has a list of banned drugs. Most of these drugs have been reported to have severe adverse effects. Some of these reports come from the manufacturing country. But on some occasions, the drug's negative effect may be discovered by the importing country like Nigeria.

This post is not about the ban of excipients. There is no single list of ban excipients. Each product must contain a safe excipient. So products like 'my pikin' which was deregistered in Nigeria are not part of this list. My pikin is a baby teething mixture that was rumoured to have killed about 80 children. The killer component or compound is one of the excipients. The matter has dragged on in court since 2008 or thereabout. The teething mixture was not banned as any other company can produce it under generics. It was the company's product that was ban due to an error from their side.

Read Also: List Of Nigeria Prohibited Import Drugs

In this post, we will look at all the drugs that have been banned in Nigeria and their current stands. These drugs must not be produced, imported, sold or use by anybody in Nigeria. The national agency for food and drug administration and control (NAFDAC) which is the body with the responsibility of safeguarding the health of the nation has the mandate to ban any drug suspected to be dangerous.

Ban drug

Drugs Ban In Nigeria

Gentamicin 280mg

Gentamicin is a broad spectrum aminoglycoside antibiotic that is most effective against aerobic gram-negative rods. Gentamicin is also used in combination with other antibiotics to treat infections caused by gram positive organisms such as Staphylococcus aureus and certain species of streptococci.

The National Agency for Food and Drugs Administration and Control (NAFDAC), which is responsible for pharmacovigilance activity in Nigeria, withdrew injection gentamicin 280 mg in October 7, 2010, used in the management of life-threatening and multidrug-resistant infections from circulation, due to reported toxicity.

Toxicity profile of gentamicin on the kidneys is dependent on both dose and duration of administration. The findings justify the decision made by NAFDAC to ban the use of high-dose inj. gentamicin 280 mg in Nigeria. NAFDAC clarified that the ban is applicable to 280 mg only. Duly registered gentamicin 10/20/40/80 mg is still very much available and safe.

Nimesulide

Nimesulide is another banned drug in Nigeria with the brand names Nise and or Nimulid. It was banned on November 8, 2007 due to adverse effects on the liver and resulting death. It is a fever and pain drug.

Cisapride

Cisa as cisapride is popularly called is one one of the brand names. Others are Syspride, Propulsid and Prepulsid. It is used for ulcers and related conditions. In Nigeria, Cisapride is currently banned from being sold in the market due to high risk of cardiac arrhythmias.

Droperidol

Droperidol is an antidopaminergic drug used as an antiemetic (that is, to prevent or treat nausea) and as an antipsychotic. Droperidol is also often used as a sedative in intensive-care treatment. It was banned due to reports of irregular heartbeat.

Phenylpropanolamine

Phenylpropanolamine is traded as PPA and Accutrim. On September 13, 2007, NAFDAC's ban on cold remedies and nasal decongestants containing Phenylpropanolamine (PPA) became effective. NAFDAC urged companies to reformulate their products to exclude PPA.

Furazolidone

This is an antidiarrheal agent. It has furoxone and lomofen as brand names. It is banned in Nigeria due to risk of cancer.

Read Also: Guidelines For Renewal Of Certificate Of Registration For Herbal Remedies/dietary Supplements Made In Nigeria

Nitrofurazone

You won't find nitrofurazone anywhere in Nigeria except illegally because it is banned in Nigeria. It is an antibiotic cream with the brand name furacin.

Phenolphthalein

Phenolphthalein is a laxative branded as agarol. It was banned because of its risk of causing cancer.

Phenylpropanolamine

Phenylpropanolamine is one of their cough and cold medications but suffered a severe set back with its likely cause of stroke in users. Ever since then, it has been banned. It comes as D’cold, Vicks Action-500, etc.

Oxyphenbutazone

Oxyphenbutazone is a Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID). Reason for the ban is its effect on bone marrow depression. It is sold as Sioril, Buta etc.,

Piperazine

It is a worm drug known as piperazine. It was related to nerve damage, hence it was banned.

Quiniodochlor

Is an Anti-diarrhoeal ban for Damage to sight. It comes as Enteroquinol.

Ban Drugs That Have Been Revoke

Dipyrone

Dipyrone (metamizole) is a nonsteroidal anti‐inflammatory drug used in some countries to treat pain (postoperative, colic, cancer, and migraine); it is banned in other countries because of an association with life‐threatening blood disorders. On September 1, 2005, NAFDAC's ban on all drugs containing dipyrone including Novalgin, Analgin, Optalgin, Drunalgin, Dr. Meyers Novalmin and Akarin came into effect. The ban followed the discovery of two major cases of severe Adverse Drug Reactions involving two students in Delta State, Nigeria.

The government has since lifted the ban on painkiller and anti-pyretic drug Analgin and all formulations containing the drug, allowing pharmaceutical companies such as Sanofi and Alkem to re-launch their popular brands of the medicine in the market. However, companies selling the product will have to carry a warning on their package and promotional literature of the drug specifying its usage like " this drug is indicated for severe pain or pain due to tumor and also for bringing down temperature in refractory cases when other antipyretics fail to do so."

Rosiglitazone

Rosiglitazone is an antidiabetic drug in the thiazolidinedione class. It works as an insulin sensitizer, by binding to the PPAR in fat cells and making the cells more responsive to insulin.

In June 2012, diabetes drug Avandia was banned from circulation in the Nigerian market following a directive from NAFDAC. The drug was banned due to fears that it increases the risk of heart attack and strokes in patients.

Read Also: The Drug And Related Product Labelling Regulations 2019

However, within less than two months, it revoked the ban on pioglitazone, in the absence of substantial scientific evidence showing the adverse effect of the drug on Indian patients.

Control Drugs Ban In Nigeria

Controlled drugs that are prohibited from being imported into the country are as follows: Amphetamine, Dexamphetamine, Methamphetamine, Chlormezanone, Methaqualone, Methylphenidate, Pemoline, Phenmetrazine, Phencyclidine and Secobarbital. All drugs prohibited by ministerial Administrative Regulation eg. Phenylbutazone is included.