The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has warned Nigerians about counterfeit batches of Postinor-2 (Levonorgestrel 0.75mg), an emergency contraceptive pill, currently being sold across the country.
The agency raised the alarm on Monday after the Society for Family Health the authorised importer of the brand confirmed that it did not bring the suspect batches into Nigeria.
Postinor-2, widely used as an emergency contraceptive, contains levonorgestrel as its active ingredient.
However, NAFDAC said the fake versions in circulation carry clear spelling and labelling errors that distinguish them from the original product.
According to the alert, the counterfeit packs feature a verification sticker with smaller font size and a misspelling of the word “Verify” as “Veify.”
At the back of the packs, “Distributed in Nigeria” was also wrongly spelt as “Distnibuted in Nigeria.”
NAFDAC identified the authentic batch as T32458H, manufactured in February 2023, with an expiry date of February 2027 and registration number 04-6985.
The falsified versions were listed as:
Counterfeit Type 1: Batch T36184B, manufactured in August 2024, expiring August 2028.
Counterfeit Type 2: Batch 332, manufactured in March 2023, expiring February 2027.
Both fake versions carried the same registration number as the original, 04-6985.
The agency warned that the counterfeit drugs could contain harmful or substandard ingredients, wrong dosages of levonorgestrel, or toxic contaminants, all of which pose grave risks to users.
“The risks of administering falsified Postinor-2 include contraceptive failure, toxic side effects, allergic reactions, organ damage, or even death,” NAFDAC cautioned.
“Patients should only obtain Postinor-2 from verified pharmacies or licensed healthcare providers.”
While investigations into the source of the counterfeit products are ongoing, the agency has directed all its zonal and state offices to intensify surveillance and mop up the falsified batches across the country.
Consumers and healthcare providers were advised to carefully check the PIN stickers on packs, report suspected counterfeit medicines, and buy only from reputable sources.