...Warns against panic misinformation and damage to legitimate businesses

The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has disassociated itself from a viral list circulating on social media purporting to identify a number of products in the Nigerian market as fake, adulterated or substandard.

The Agency wishes to make it categorically clear that the circulating list did not emanate from NAFDAC and should not be regarded as an official regulatory alert, recall notice or safety communication from the Agency.

NAFDAC, as a responsible regulatory authority, does not make sweeping declarations about the safety or authenticity of products without appropriate regulatory processes, inc

The Agency's regulatory communications are ordinarily specific and verifiable. Where a product or particular batch is found to be substandard, falsified, adulterated or otherwise unsafe, NAFDAC provides the relevant details and communicates the appropriate regulatory action through its established official channels

Consequently, members of the public are strongly advised to disregard the viral list in its entirety and to refrain from sharing or amplifying the unverified information.

It is particularly important that Nigerians understand the difference between an allegation circulating on social media and an official regulatory finding. A product cannot responsibly be declared fake or unsafe merely because its name or photograph appears on a social-media list.

NAFDAC's position is also necessary to protect consumers from unnecessary fear and confusion while ensuring that legitimate businesses and manufacturers are not unfairly subjected to reputational and commercial damage.

Indeed, if an unverified list containing numerous legitimate products were mistakenly accepted as an official NAFDAC declaration, the consequences could extend beyond consumer anxiety to legitimate manufacturers, distributors, retailers and the wider pharmaceutical, food and consumer-products market.

Such misinformation could unnecessarily disrupt legitimate businesses, distort consumer behaviour and undermine confidence in properly regulated products.

NAFDAC remains committed to its statutory mandate of protecting the health of Nigerians by ensuring that regulated products meet established standards of safety, quality and efficacy. The Agency will continue to take appropriate enforcement action whenever its investigations and scientific assessments establish that a product requires regulatory intervention.The Agency therefore urges members of the public, healthcare professionals, manufacturers, distributors and other stakeholders to rely on NAFDAC's official communication channels for information concerning product alerts, recalls, withdrawals, suspensions and other regulatory actions.

For the avoidance of doubt: the viral list did not emanate from NAFDAC. Members of the public are urged to disregard it in its entirety and not circulate it as an official NAFDAC publication.

NAFDAC appreciates the vigilance of Nigerians in reporting suspected counterfeit, adulterated or substandard products. Such reports remain valuable regulatory intelligence, but allegations must be subjected to proper investigation and scientific verification before definitive conclusions are reached.