The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has issued an alert over the circulation of falsified Postinor-2, a widely used emergency contraceptive pill, warning that the counterfeit versions pose serious health risks.
In a statement on Tuesday, NAFDAC Director-General, Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye, disclosed that the agency received a report from the Society for Family Health (SFH), the authorised distributor of Postinor-2 in Nigeria, confirming that it did not import the suspect product batches.
According to NAFDAC, the counterfeit packs are easy to identify. The fake products have smaller fonts on the pin verification sticker, as well as incorrect spellings of the words “verify” and “distributed”.
The agency listed the counterfeit details as follows:
- Type 1: Batch No. T36184B; MFG Date: 08/2024; EXP Date: 08/2028; NRN: 04-698.
- Type 2: Batch No. 332; MFG Date: 03/2023; EXP Date: 02/2027; NRN: 04-698.
Highlighting the dangers, NAFDAC warned that using falsified Postinor-2 may lead to contraceptive failure, unpredictable side effects, allergic reactions, organ damage, or even death. The agency stressed that counterfeit medicines are “unregulated, untested, and illegal”, making their safety impossible to guarantee.
“Patients should only obtain Postinor-2 from verified pharmacies or licensed healthcare providers,” the statement read.
The regulator confirmed that an investigation is underway to trace the source of the falsified products. Zonal directors and state coordinators have been directed to conduct surveillance operations and withdraw the counterfeit pills from circulation.
NAFDAC also urged distributors, retailers, healthcare professionals, and caregivers to remain vigilant and only source medicines from authorised suppliers, carefully checking all packaging for authenticity.
