The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has urged Nigerians to report suspected fake, substandard and unregistered medicines, as well as adverse reactions to drugs, vaccines and other regulated medical products.
The agency said public participation was essential to identifying potentially unsafe products, investigating suspected violations and strengthening the country’s medicine safety monitoring system.
In a video shared on Saturday, NAFDAC directed consumers who experience unusual or adverse reactions to medicines and other regulated medical products to report them through the Med Safety application, available for Android and iOS devices.
“If you experience an unusual or adverse reaction to a medicine, other regulated medical products or vaccines, report it through the MedSafety app available for download on the Google Play Store and the Apple App Store,” the agency said.
The reporting platform enables members of the public and healthcare professionals to submit information about suspected adverse drug reactions and potentially substandard or falsified medical products.
According to NAFDAC, reports can help regulators identify emerging safety concerns, investigate suspicious products and take appropriate action where necessary.
Suspected problems that can be reported include unusual side effects, allergic reactions, unexpected treatment failure, questionable packaging, altered expiry dates and products bearing missing or suspicious registration details.
The agency’s improved Med Safety platform also allows users to upload photographs and relevant product information to support investigations.
NAFDAC has stressed that reporting suspected problems does not, by itself, establish that a product is counterfeit or that a medicine caused a particular reaction. Reports provide information that regulators can assess and investigate.
The initiative forms part of broader efforts to strengthen pharmacovigilance, the monitoring of medicines and medical products after they enter circulation, and to improve the detection of products that may pose risks to public health.
The agency has also encouraged consumers to purchase medicines from authorised and reputable outlets and to remain alert to suspicious packaging, questionable registration numbers and other signs of possible falsification.
Nigerians who experience a suspected adverse reaction should seek appropriate medical attention where necessary and provide accurate information when submitting a report.
NAFDAC says greater public participation can help regulators identify safety concerns earlier, investigate suspected violations and protect consumers from potentially harmful medical products.