The battle against counterfeits in Nigeria has been fought by the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), which is now taking further steps to tackle the problem.
NAFDAC’s latest actions are in response to a seizure of counterfeit drugs that are believed to be of Chinese origin but were labelled “Made in India”. The seized shipment consisted of counterfeit generic anti-malarial drugs.
The Nigerian authorities have now enlisted the help of Interpol to investigate the case, according to Livemint. Chinese authorities are also believed to be conducting their own investigation.
NAFDAC has been keen to communicate that the drugs originated from outside India. Despite this there are concerns within India that the case could damage the reputation of its pharma industry, according to Livemint, and the nation’s authorities have raised the issue with China.
Offices in India
In addition to collaborating with Interpol, NAFDAC is planning to open up offices in India to improve its knowledge of the country’s drug manufacturers, according to The Economic Times of India.
NAFDAC may open up to three offices initially, with Delhi, Mumbai and Gujarat all suggested as possible locations. By having a presence in India NAFDAC believes it will be able to identify drug suppliers in advance and know the origin of imported drugs.
Indian authorities are believed to be collaborating with NAFDAC. The issue of counterfeits could tarnish the reputation of the Indian pharma industry and it appears the country believes that cooperation with NAFDAC will minimise the likelihood of this occurring.