The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) alerted Nigerians to the existence of fake Covid-19 antigen rapid test kits in circulation.
The notification is contained in a public alert issued by NAFDAC and released to the press on Sunday in Abuja.
Health Canada in its communication, informed NAFDAC of the existence of these counterfeit BTNX Incorporated Covid-19 Antigen Rapid Test Kits, adding that these counterfeit test kits were sold online in boxes of 25 packs by a distributor called Healthful Plus You do not have the required license.
Details on counterfeit Covid-19 test kits
NAFDAC said the counterfeit kits’ packaging resembles authentic BTNX Inc. products in color and font and uses BTNX Incorporated.
The food and drug regulator noted that the device identifier has “COV-19C25,” with several key differences, and then labeled as being made by “Health Advance Inc.” instead of BTNX Inc.
NAFDAC stated that on the packaging, Health Advance was identified as the “Official Canadian Distributor of the counterfeit products, noting that the products had a supporting claim from government authorities, such as Health Canada.
NAFDAC stated, “The genuine COVID-19 antigen test kit helps to detect certain proteins in the virus. Rapid antigen tests are designed to tell in a few minutes if someone is infected or not.
“It is recommended as a high-throughput test for people with symptoms, high-risk populations, and healthcare or casual workers.
“Counterfeit medical devices are imitations of authentic products. The safety and efficacy of these counterfeit test kits have not been evaluated.
“The original manufacturer BTNX Inc. has confirmed that the devices were counterfeit.”
NAFDAC outlines precautionary measures
- The agency advised wholesalers, distributors, pharmacies and consumers to ensure that their products are sourced from authentic and trustworthy sources.
- It also encouraged healthcare providers to increase vigilance within the supply chain to prevent the import, distribution, sale, or use of counterfeit COVID-19 rapid antigen test kits.
- He advised healthcare providers to avoid administering the product to unsuspecting patients, adding that the authenticity and physical condition of the products should be carefully verified.
- NAFDAC said that anyone in possession of the counterfeit product should immediately stop the sale or use and send the stock to the nearest agency office.
In its statement, the agency encouraged healthcare providers and consumers to report counterfeit healthcare products to NAFDAC at 0800-162-3322 or email:sf.alert@nafdac.gov.ng.
NAFDAC also advised the public to report adverse effects throughpharmacovigilance@nafdac.gov.ngand electronic reporting platformswww.nafdac.gov.ngor via the Med-safety app to download.