The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control has disowned a viral list circulating on social media that claims several products in the Nigerian market are fake, adulterated or substandard, urging Nigerians to disregard it.
The agency said the list did not originate from it and should not be treated as an official regulatory alert, recall notice or safety communication.
In a press release signed by NAFDAC’s Resident Media Consultant, Sayo Akintola, the agency warned that the unverified information could cause unnecessary fear among consumers and damage the reputation and businesses of legitimate manufacturers and distributors.
The food and drug regulatory agency explained that it does not make sweeping declarations about the safety or authenticity of products without following appropriate regulatory procedures, including investigation, sampling and, where necessary, scientific and laboratory verification.
It stated that when a product or a particular batch is found to be substandard, falsified, adulterated or unsafe, it provides relevant details and communicates the appropriate regulatory action through its established official channels.
“NAFDAC, as a responsible regulatory authority, does not make sweeping declarations about the safety or authenticity of products without appropriate regulatory processes, including investigation, sampling and, where necessary, scientific and laboratory verification.
“The Agency’s regulatory communications are ordinarily specific and verifiable. Where a product or particular batch is found to be substandard, falsified, adulterated or otherwise unsafe, NAFDAC provides the relevant details and communicates the appropriate regulatory action through its established official channels,” the statement read in part.
The food and drug regulator noted, “NAFDAC urged members of the public to disregard the viral list entirely and refrain from sharing or amplifying the information.
For the avoidance of doubt: the viral list did not emanate from NAFDAC. Members of the public are urged to disregard it in its entirety and not circulate it as an official NAFDAC publication.”
The agency stressed that Nigerians should understand the difference between allegations circulating on social media and official regulatory findings, noting that a product could not responsibly be declared fake or unsafe merely because its name or photograph appeared on a social media list.
It warned that mistakenly accepting an unverified list containing legitimate products as an official declaration could have consequences beyond consumer anxiety, including reputational and commercial damage to manufacturers, distributors and retailers.
NAFDAC further noted that such misinformation could disrupt legitimate businesses, influence consumer behaviour and undermine confidence in properly regulated products across the pharmaceutical, food and consumer-products markets.
NAFDAC reaffirmed its commitment to protecting Nigerians’ health by ensuring that regulated products meet established standards of safety, quality and efficacy.
It said it would continue to take appropriate enforcement action whenever investigations and scientific assessments established that a product required regulatory intervention.
The agency also advised consumers, healthcare professionals, manufacturers, distributors and other stakeholders to rely on its official communication channels for information on product alerts, recalls, withdrawals, suspensions and other regulatory actions.
While urging Nigerians not to circulate the list as an official NAFDAC publication, the agency acknowledged the importance of public vigilance in identifying suspected counterfeit, adulterated or substandard products.
It said reports from members of the public remained valuable sources of regulatory intelligence but emphasised that allegations must undergo proper investigation and scientific verification before definitive conclusions could be reached.
Credit: healthwise.punchng.com
