NAFDAC alerts Nigerians on fake Meningitis vaccines

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The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has raised alert, calling the attention of Nigerians, especially health care providers, to the circulation of fake meningitis vaccines in the Niger Republic.

NAFDAC’s Director General, Prof. Moji Adeyeye, in a press statement, noted that health authorities in the country have issued an alert on the fake vaccines after it was discovered during the routine inspection of pharmacies in Niamey recently.

She said: “We are raising an alert on the circulation of MencevaxTM ACWY and MencevaxTM ACW vaccines circulating in the Niger Republic. The Health Authorities of the Republic of Niger issued an alert on the fake vaccines discovered during routine inspections of the pharmacies in Niamey, Niger Republic, on the 14th March, 2019.The Lot number of the fake MencevaxTM ACW vaccine is AMEN A020 AA, while the Lot number of the fake MencevaxTM ACWY is AMEH A020 AA,” she said.

The Director said the fake vaccine, manufactured in December 2016, will expire November 202, adding that genuine vaccines used to control the outbreak of meningococcal infection were registered by NAFDAC in favour of Glaxo SmithKline Beecham (GSK) just as Pfizer acquired the vaccines from GSK in 2015.

She warned importers, wholesalers and retailers of pharmaceutical products in the country against importing or selling the fake Mencevax vaccines, adding that Pfizer, on its own, discontinued the sale of such vaccine in Nigeria in 2018 while NAFDAC had increased surveillance in all ports of entry to prevent the fake vaccine from entry into Nigeria.

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She said as a result of the discontinuation of commercialization of the vaccines, Pfizer specialities Limited no longer import the vaccines into Nigeria.

She stressed that ‘surveillance has been strengthened by NAFDAC at all ports of entry to prevent importation of the fake vaccines from the Niger Republic, and to prevent the distribution and sale of the fake vaccine’.

The Director therefore, advised healthcare providers and other members of the public to be vigilant and contact the nearest NAFDAC office with any information on the fake vaccines.

She directed anybody in possession of the fake vaccines to submit such to the nearest NAFDAC office, urging customers to report adverse events related to the use of vaccines to the nearest NAFDAC office.

 

Posted By Oyedeyi Samson