The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has issued a public alert regarding the circulation of a falsified and unregistered pharmaceutical product identified as Gold Vision Oxytocin Injection 10IU, which bears a fake registration number A4-9566.
In a statement posted Monday on its official X (formerly Twitter) account, NAFDAC revealed that the product was falsely claimed to be manufactured by Anhui Hongye Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd. in China and marketed by Gold Vision Medicals, located in Enugu, Nigeria. The product was flagged during a risk-based sampling survey conducted by NAFDAC officers.
The agency further disclosed that three other falsified products—A-tocin Injection, Extocin Injection, and Claxitodin Injection—were also identified during the 2023 sampling exercise. All were reportedly produced by the same Chinese company and shared the same falsified NAFDAC registration number.
“These products are confirmed falsified as they are not listed in the NAFDAC registered products database,” the agency confirmed.
NAFDAC emphasized the serious health risks associated with the use of unregistered or counterfeit Oxytocin, particularly for maternal and neonatal health. The agency warned that such products may contain incorrect or no active ingredients, be contaminated with harmful substances, and result in failed or inadequate uterine contractions. This could lead to postpartum hemorrhage or even maternal death.
Poor-quality oxytocin may delay or fail to stop bleeding after childbirth, increasing the need for emergency interventions such as blood transfusions or surgery, the agency noted.
NAFDAC urged healthcare professionals, pharmacists, and the public to remain vigilant and report any suspected counterfeit or substandard medicines to the nearest NAFDAC office.
This development underscores growing concerns over the prevalence of falsified medications in Nigeria’s open drug market. NAFDAC had earlier issued similar alerts, including warnings about counterfeit batches of Postinor-2, a widely used emergency contraceptive.
