The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has alerted Nigerians, especially healthcare providers, on the sale of one fake Meronem 1g injection that is currently in circulation.
The agency’s Director-General, Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye, said the Marketing Authorization Holder (MAH), Pfizer, reported the incident, as received through a patient notification platform, concerning a suspicious Meronem 1g injection purchase. She reported Pfizer as saying that the vial content did not dissolve when reconstituted for use and that further visual inspection of the pack was observed.
Furthermore, it was said that the crimp code did not correspond with the code listed on the 2A21F11 production documentation batch, which is the semi-finished batch that was utilized for 4A21I17. Adeyeye added that the production process did not meet Pfizer’s specifications.
“The vial label compares favourably to the purported artwork version. Meronem (Meropenem trihydrate injection) is an antibiotic used to treat skin and abdominal (stomach area) infections caused by bacteria and meningitis (infection of the membranes that surround the brain and spinal cord) in adults and children 3 months of age and older. The administration of the counterfeit product will pose a high risk to patients as the quality and safety are not guaranteed,” Adeyeye said
The head of NAFDAC stated that patients and healthcare professionals were encouraged to buy all medical supplies from approved and licensed vendors. According to her, products’ authenticity and physical condition should be carefully checked before purchase and administration.
