How To Report Fake Drug Or Substandard Product To NAFDAC

The national agency for food and drug administration and control (NAFDAC) protects consumers of foods, drugs, cosmetics, etc by investigating products for standard before they hit the stores. Any product short of the standard is not approved for registration and NAFDAC number. They are termed fake or substandard products or unwholesome food.

Reporting to NAFDAC

There are also products that never get registered because they are confirmed fake. The manufacturers of such products deliberately package insert materials or in some rare cases, dangerous products for sales. Expired products must also be discarded.

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When any product falls short of these, NAFDAC through periodic surveillance and investigation detect these products and mark them from destruction. They also prosecute the manufacturer's and or sellers of such products. Also the job falls on the shoulders of the consumer to report to nafdac when it escapes the notice of the agency.

Features Lacking In Fake Drug

The public is encouraged to look out for and insist on certain mandatory features when purchasing regulated products. These are highlighted below:

1. NAFDAC registration number (sometimes abbreviated as NRN)

Read Also: How To Verify NAFDAC Registration Number Online

2. Date markings – Production date, expiry date/best before, batch/lot number

3. Manufacturer’s name and address. The manufacturer’s address should be a physical/ground address and not an email address.

4. Product label in English Language: If the label is in a foreign language without an English translation, then it has not been registered by NAFDAC.

5. An uncompromised product: Check that the product seal is intact and has not been tampered with.

If these features are missing from the product, do not purchase. Report to the NAFDAC. There are two ways a fake and substandard product can be reported to NAFDAC. Walk-in complainant at the office nearest to you through the Director-General office or via PRASCOR. Information from the public is use to;

1. Disrupting illicit online pharmacies;

2. Intercepting illicit medical products in the postal system;

3. Enhancing the prosecutions of suspects through long-term investigations; and

4. Increasing public awareness of the problem of the sale of counterfeit and illicit medicines online via a media release and public awareness campaigns.

5. Block unregistered product

6. Delete fake drug and substandard product from their register

Walk-in Complainants

If you have any product that you think does not meet expectations, you can take the product and walk into any NAFDAC office nationwide.

Read Also: NAFDAC Office Nationwide

Talk to a regulatory officer. The complaint is written down including the complaint product. The details of the complainant are anonymous and confidential. Feedback is given to the complainant. The complainant is required to provide address of purchase, receipt of purchase, date of purchase and uncompromised/intact complaint product (if available).

Reporting Via PRASCOR

PROSCAR means pharmacovigilance rapid alert system for consumer reporting. It is used for reporting consumer complaints and adverse drug reactions (ADR). NAFDAC provides a code where consumers can send short message service (SMS) to. The code is 20543. SMS sent to this code from the four major networks in Nigeria is free. The message is received by NAFDAC staff who are responsible for deciding if it is a consumer complaint or ADR. The consumer receives an automated message confirming receipt of complaint at NAFDAC office. NAFDAC processes the next information and uses it for follow up.