The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has issued an urgent warning regarding the spread of forged Avastin vials (400 mg/16 ml), ordering its regional directors and state heads to ramp up oversight and pull the illicit items from the market nationwide.
In an official bulletin, NAFDAC pointed out that the targeted product is Avastin 400 mg/16 ml, which falsely claims to be manufactured by F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd in Basel, Switzerland, via Roche Diagnostics GmbH in Mannheim, Germany.
The agency specified that these knock-offs carry the batch codes K1830T71 and H0375B01. The production dates provided on the packaging are 04/2025 and 02/2025, with corresponding expiration dates of 05/2028 and 12/2027.
To tackle the threat immediately, NAFDAC confirmed that its field leadership across all zones has been tasked with heightening inspections to track down and remove these dangerous fakes from the local supply chain.
The regulatory body cautioned everyone from importers and sellers to doctors and family members to stay alert to stop these fraudulent medicines from being used.
“Importers, distributors, retailers, healthcare professionals, and caregivers are hereby advised to exercise caution and vigilance within the supply chain to avoid the importation, distribution, sale, and use of counterfeit products,” the bulletin mentioned.
“All medical products must be obtained from authorized/licensed suppliers. The products’ authenticity and physical condition should be carefully checked,” the organization insisted.
Medical staff and the general public were also prompted to flag any instances of suspicious or low-quality pharmaceuticals.
“Healthcare professionals and consumers are advised to report any suspicion of the sale of substandard and falsified medicines or medical devices to the nearest NAFDAC office,” the press release stated.
Additionally, the agency asked health workers and their patients to come forward if they experience any bad reactions while using medical supplies or equipment.
“Similarly, healthcare professionals and patients are also encouraged to report adverse events or side effects related to the use of medicinal products or devices to the nearest NAFDAC office,” the document explained.
The agency noted that this warning would be communicated to international health watchdogs as well.
“Furthermore, note that this notice will be uploaded to the WHO Global Surveillance and Monitoring System,” the statement concluded.
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