Healthcare professionals and the general public have been made aware of a report by the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration Control (NAFDAC) regarding the presence of fake Perjeta units in Nigeria.
NAFDAC said in a statement posted on its official website, accessed by BrandSpur digital news brand: “Marketing Authorization Holder (MAH) Roche received a complaint from a pharmacist reporting two units of suspected counterfeit Roche products, Perjeta 420 mg/14mL.
“The Kaiseraugst/Switzerland Quality Control organisation investigated the complaint sample pictures. As the batch number is not a genuine Roche batch number, a comparison against a batch corresponding retain sample was not possible. Since the sample may mimic the Roche common make-up EFA, a corresponding retain sample was used for comparison,” NAFDAC added.
Significant variations in the packing materials were discovered, nevertheless, as Roche Perjeta’s actual package material does not match the folding box, which includes the Tamper Evident label.
The statement partly reveals: “Batch Trace: The lot tracing was impossible because the lot number imprinted is not a genuine Roche batch number for Perjeta.”
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It further stated that because the physical complaint sample was not returnable, the chemical analysis could not be completed.
NAFDAC claims that examination of the submitted photos showed unmistakable proof of fake packaging materials.
NAFDAC went on to disclose: “Perjeta 420mg Injection is used to treat breast cancer when other medicines have failed to show significant improvement.
“It helps to stop cancer growth and further spread and relieves the symptoms of breast cancer such as breast lumps, bloody discharge from the nipple, or changes in the shape or texture of the breast,” it added.
Consequently, NAFDAC encourages consumers and healthcare professionals to report any suspicion of the sale of counterfeit or substandard medications or medical devices to the NAFDAC office that is closest to them.
Complaints can also be sent by email or phone at sf.alert@nafdac.gov.ng or 0800-162-3322.
