NASS should pass a counterfeit medical product bill, says NAFDAC

As N50 billion in unacceptable goods are destroyed by the agency in five months

According to NAFDAC, the Counterfeit Medical Products Bill must be passed by the National Assembly as soon as possible so that the nation’s fight against counterfeit medical products can be bolstered.

Meanwhile, the agency has destroyed medicine that is not good for people, expired processed food and cosmetics, and large quantities of assorted miscellaneous goods in the last five months that were worth more than N50 billion.

In a statement to the press, NAFDAC Director-General Prof Mojisola Adeyeye, who made this disclosure yesterday in Abuja, reported that during March, over N1.429.580.683.00 worth of undesirable food and drug products were destroyed in the state capital of Anambra, also known as Awka.

She explained that such dangerous products, each with a market value of N613,300,290, were completely destroyed in Kano, Nigeria, in the same month while the Investigation and Enforcement Agency moved to Gombe in May, where they were busy destroying seized counterfeit and expired medicines, and food items with a total market value of N515,732,587.

Fake and expired medicines and food products worth N2.482 billion, which were seized in the Southwest, were completely destroyed in Shagamu, Ogun State, in the last week, according to Adeyeye.
One of the directors of the NAFDAC urged the courts to implement stiffer penalties for those convicted of illicit drug counterfeiting, expired processed food, and repugnant cosmetics as a means of deterring others from the industry.

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Adeyeye says that, in order to make it unattractive, a maximum penalty for offenders should be applied.

In addition to the government and faith-based organizations, she also called on health practitioners, community leaders, and members of the media to continue to educate the public about the harmful effects of not staying away from quacks and food vendors peddling medicine and unhealthy food.

Alarmed by the merchants of death who exist solely to capitalize on human misery, Adeyeye appealed to members of the public to release confidential information that could be used to fight against these individuals.