The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control, NAFDAC, has warned of fake COVID-19 drugs in circulation.
Prof. Moji Adeyeye, NAFDAC Director-General, said the agency discovered fake Chloroquine and Hydroxychloroquine in circulation across the country.
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Speaking during a webinar in Lagos State on Wednesday, Adeyeye also disclosed that fake face masks and hand sanitizers were in circulation.
She explained that this was discovered during post-marketing surveillance of COVID-19 medical products.
The NAFDAC boss said: “Post-marketing surveillance is part and parcel of NAFDAC. We stepped it up because we knew that companies were changing formula and formulations for us.
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“We see falsified Chloroquine without any active ingredients in it. Of course, we also have had fake sanitizers and masks, which we have to deal with regulatory-wise.
“Chloroquine and Hydroxychloroquine are some of the therapeutics that Nigeria is using for clinical trial treatment only. We started with Chloroquine and then Hydroxychloroquine came in.”
Recall that the Standards Organisation of Nigeria, SON, had last month urged Nigerians to be wary of substandard hand sanitisers.
SON disclosed that genuine hand sanitizers have alcohol which can be perceived by the user.