The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has banned a counterfeit batch of the antibiotic Tarivid (Ofloxacin 200mg), raising concerns over public safety.
According to a report by The Punch, NAFDAC confirmed that the unregistered Tarivid batch was found on the shelf of a pharmacy in Onipan, Shomolu Local Government Area of Lagos State.
In a public alert numbered 21/2025 and titled “Alert on the Report of Unregistered Tarivid (Ofloxacin 200mg) found in Nigeria”, the agency disclosed that the product was detected during routine market surveillance.
Tarivid, produced by global pharmaceutical company Sanofi, is a brand of Ofloxacin commonly used to treat respiratory tract infections, urinary tract infections, kidney infections, skin infections, and soft tissue infections.
NAFDAC noted that the counterfeit batch was manufactured in September 2023 and is set to expire in August 2028. A representative from Sanofi reportedly stated, “The identified batch was originally manufactured for distribution in Pakistan,” after confirming the details through an investigation at Sanofi’s Anti-Falsified and Illicit Trafficking (AFIT) Central Laboratory.
The agency emphasized that the batch in question is not registered for use or distribution within Nigeria. Products that do not comply with NAFDAC’s regulatory standards cannot be guaranteed for safety, quality, or efficacy.
To ensure global awareness, NAFDAC announced plans to notify the World Health Organisation (WHO) Global Surveillance and Monitoring System to flag the batch internationally as counterfeit.
Article updated 2 days ago. Content is written and modified by multiple authors.
