German pharmaceutical, chemical and life science company, Merck; and the National Agency for Food Drugs Administration and Control have deployed new technologies to stop the influx and circulation of fake medicines in the country.
The NAFDAC Director- General, Dr. Paul Orhii, who spoke at the Dossier Review and Evaluation Training organised by Merck for the agency’s top officials in Lagos, said the use of cutting edge technologies would help rid the country of substandard medicines.
Orhii said, “We must continue to use latest technologies to secure the supply chain and rid the country of fake and substandard products.
“Counterfeiters must know that no matter the tactics they come up with, we are ready to counter them with our own technologies.”
Merck’s Country Manager, Mr. Charles Ajibo, said there was a need for better regulation of drugs sold in the Nigerian market to ensure that substandard drugs are not sold over the counter in any pharmacy.
He urged more pharmaceutical companies to embrace on-the spot testing
of drugs in the market by using the Mobile Authentication Service.
Ajibo said, “Apart from other methods that are being used to detect counterfeit drugs in the laboratory, there is need for on-the-spot testing of drugs, such that a consumer will send the code on a drug to a mobile number and he can get a response from the manufacturer to know whether the drug is genuine or not.’’
Culled from Punch
