Fake Cancer Injection in Circulation – NAFDAC Warns

Post created on 12:21 pm

The attention of Nigerians has been drawn to counterfeit batches of Mabthera 500mg/50ml, which is normally used to treat patients with cancer, by the National Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC).

Healthcare professionals raised the alarm in Gombe and Kaduna states before Roche Nigeria identified the counterfeit cases bearing batch number N2110A09.

Mabthera, known generically as rituximab, is a critical antibody injection used in the treatment of serious conditions, including blood cancers such as non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma and chronic lymphocytic leukaemia, as well as autoimmune diseases like rheumatoid arthritis, pemphigus vulgaris, and vasculitis.

According to healthcare practitioners, the counterfeit drug was brought in by patients who bought it at a cheaper rate outside, between N160,000 and N275,000, which is far below the market price.