By Muhammad Mamman
The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has raised the alarm over falsified batches of Postinor-2 (Levonorgestrel 0.75mg), an emergency contraceptive pill, currently circulating in Nigeria.
In a statement released on Monday, the agency confirmed that the counterfeit products — labelled as Type 1 and Type 2 — were detected after the authorised importer, Society for Family Health (SFH), verified it had not brought the consignments into the country.
According to NAFDAC, the falsified packs carry glaring errors, including a misspelt verification sticker reading “Veify” instead of “Verify” and a wrongly printed phrase “Distnibuted in Nigeria” on the reverse side of the packaging. The genuine version, the agency noted, has clear fonts and correct spellings.
The identified falsified versions are:
- Counterfeit Product (Type 1): Batch T36184B, manufactured in August 2024, with an expiry date of August 2028.
- Counterfeit Product (Type 2): Batch 332, manufactured in March 2023, with an expiry date of February 2027.
Both carry the registration number 04-6985.
NAFDAC warned that the counterfeit pills may contain harmful or incorrect ingredients, improper dosages of levonorgestrel, and may have been produced in unsafe conditions — posing severe risks to public health. Potential dangers include contraceptive failure, toxic contamination, unpredictable side effects, long-term reproductive complications, organ damage, allergic reactions, or even death.
“Counterfeit medicines are unregulated, untested and illegal, making their safety and effectiveness impossible to guarantee,” the agency cautioned.
NAFDAC has directed its zonal directors and state coordinators to intensify surveillance and remove the falsified batches from circulation nationwide. Investigations are ongoing to trace the source of the counterfeits.
Consumers and healthcare professionals have been urged to:
- Purchase Postinor-2 only from licensed pharmacies and verified outlets.
- Check verification PIN stickers carefully.
- Report any suspected counterfeit products immediately.
The agency reaffirmed its commitment to safeguarding public health and stressed that vigilance remains the strongest defence against counterfeit medicines.
