The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has alerted Nigerians, particularly healthcare providers, to one batch of counterfeit Meronem 1g Injection being purchased in Nigeria.
The information is contained in a public alert No. 036/2023, signed by the Director-General of the agency, Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye, and issued to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja on Tuesday.
Adeyeye said the Marketing Authorization Holder (MAH) Pfizer, reported the incident, as received through a patient notification platform, concerning a suspicious park of Meronem 1g injection purchase.
She reported Pfizer as saying that the vial content did not dissolve when reconstituted for use and that further visual inspection of the pack was observed.
It was also reported that the crimp code did not match the code reported on the production documentation batch of 2A21F11, which is the semi-finished batch used for 4A21I17.
The NAFDAC D-G said that the production process did not meet with the Pfizer’s specifications.
“The vial label compares favourably to the purported artwork version.
“Meronem (Meropenem trihydrate injection) is an antibiotic used to treat skin and abdominal (stomach area) infections caused by bacteria and meningitis (infection of the membranes that surround the brain and spinal cord) in adults and children 3 months of age and older.
“The administration of the counterfeit product will pose a high risk to patients as the quality and safety are not guaranteed,” Adeyeye said.
