NAFDAC confiscates 40 cartons of re-validated expired drugs in Onitsha

The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control has confiscated 40 cartons of assorted revalidated expired drugs at the Bridge Head Drug Market, Onitsha.
Christiana Essenwa, the Deputy Director of NAFDAC in Anambra, told the News Agency of Nigeria after a raid on the market on Thursday that three shops were also sealed.
Essenwa said however that no arrest was made during the operation.
She said: “Following a tip-off from a good-spirited individual, my officers went on raid at the bridge head market. According to the report we got, some products were being revalidated and sold to public.
“We went to the markets and what we saw were unbelievable. The dates of many expired products were cleaned and revalidated.”
The deputy director said the expired drugs include anti-malaria drugs, antibiotics, antifungals, anti-diabetics, anti-hypertensive, multivitamins, disinfectants, capsules, injections and snake venom antiserum.
Essenwa said: “What we got there were 40 cartons of expired products some of which were already revalidated while others have been cleaned and were about to be revalidated.
“These products are very hazardous considering the fact that the validity dates have expired. Besides, it will no longer give the expected healing when consumed.
“The products are already going into degradation which may cause chemical reaction or introduce microbial organisms when consumed.”
Essenwa said stamps, pads, seals, acrylic dissolvers and nail polish removers used for cleaning dates before revalidation as well as specialised markers of different colours used for changing dates were also recovered.
The deputy director said invitations had been sent to the fleeing suspects to come to NAFDAC office, assuring that they would be prosecuted.
She urged members of the public to be careful when buying products especially drugs.
She said: “Don’t just watch out for expiry dates but check the prints to know whether it has been tampered with.”
She gave the assurance that NAFDAC would continue to save lives and appealed for provision of information that would lead to the arrest of people who indulged in counterfeiting and faking of products.