The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has issued an urgent public health warning regarding the circulation of a fake Oxytocin injection product identified as Gold Vision Oxytocin Injection 10IU, bearing a fake NAFDAC registration number A4-9566.
In a statement released on its website, the agency revealed that the counterfeit product is said to be manufactured by Anhui Hongye Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd., Fengyang East Road, Bengbu, Anhui Province, China, and is marketed by Gold Vision Medicals, located at No. 4 Range Avenue, Independence Layout, Enugu, Nigeria.
According to NAFDAC, the fake medicine was discovered during a Risk-Based Post-Marketing Surveillance (RBPMS) sampling exercise conducted by its Post Marketing Surveillance (PMS) Directorate officers.
The statement said that further investigations by the agency uncovered three additional falsified injectable products identified as A-tocin Injection, Extocin Injection, and Claxitodin Injection, all attributed to the same manufacturer and bearing the identical fake NAFDAC registration number.
“These products have been confirmed as falsified because they are not listed in the NAFDAC-registered products database,” the agency stated.
NAFDAC noted that the medicine poses serious health risks to mothers and newborns.
Oxytocin is a critical medication used to induce or strengthen labour, control postpartum bleeding, and support lactation. It acts by binding to uterine receptors, triggering contractions that are vital during and after childbirth.
NAFDAC warned that unregistered or counterfeit Oxytocin can pose severe health risks, especially for mothers and newborns.
The products, according to NAFDAC, may contain incorrect doses, no active ingredients, or harmful contaminants.
It stressed that the consequences can be dire, including ineffective uterine contractions, postpartum hemorrhage (PPH), and maternal death.
“Low-quality oxytocin can result in delayed or failed control of bleeding after childbirth, increasing the need for emergency measures such as surgery or blood transfusion,” the agency emphasised.
NAFDAC said the product details include falsified names: Gold Vision Oxytocin Injection 10IU, A-tocin Injection, Extocin Injection, Claxitodin Injection, and the fake NAFDAC Registration Number: A4-9566.
Claimed Manufacturer: Anhui Hongye Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd., Fengyang East Road, Bengbu, Anhui Province, China Claimed Marketer: Gold Vision Medicals, No. 4 Range Avenue, Independence Layout, Enugu, Nigeria
NAFDAC said it has instructed all its zonal directors and state coordinators to intensify surveillance efforts and retrieve any falsified Oxytocin products found within their jurisdictions.
The agency also called on importers, distributors, retailers, healthcare professionals, and the general public to exercise extreme caution in sourcing and handling medical products.
The agency noted that only authorised and licensed suppliers should be used, and the authenticity and physical integrity of products should be verified.
NAFDAC further urged anyone who suspects the sale or use of substandard or falsified medical products to report to the agency immediately.
The agency reassured the public of its commitment to safeguarding public health and urged everyone to play a part in identifying and removing dangerous and unapproved medicines from circulation.