By Deborah Nnamdi
The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has issued a public alert regarding the circulation of falsified batches of Postinor-2 (Levonorgestrel 0.75mg) emergency contraceptive pills in Nigeria.
The alert follows a report from the Society for Family Health (SFH)—the Marketing Authorization Holder (MAH)—confirming that certain batches currently in circulation were not imported through authorized channels.
According to a statement on NAFDAC’s official website, two counterfeit versions of Postinor-2, referred to as Type 1 and Type 2, have been identified.
NAFDAC highlighted several distinguishing features between genuine and falsified products:
Pin Verification Sticker:
Counterfeit: Smaller font size and misspelling of “Verify” as “Veify”
Genuine: Larger, clearer font with correct spelling
Packaging Error:
Counterfeit packs display “Distnibuted in Nigeria” instead of “distributed in Nigeria”
counterfeit product type 2
Product Type Batch No. Manufacture Date Expiry Date NRN Number
Original T32458H February 2023 February 2027 04-6985
Counterfeit Type 1 T36184B August 2024 August 2028 04-6985
Counterfeit Type 2 332 March 2023 February 2027 04-6985
These identifiers are crucial for consumers, pharmacists, and healthcare professionals to verify product authenticity.
NAFDAC warns that falsified emergency contraceptive pills pose serious health risks, including: Ineffective contraception, leading to unintended pregnancies, exposure to toxic or harmful contaminants, unpredictable side effects such as allergic reactions, organ damage, or even death, missed opportunity for effective emergency contraception, and potential long-term reproductive health complications.
The agency emphasized that counterfeit medicines are unregulated, untested, and illegal, making their safety and effectiveness impossible to ensure.
NAFDAC has instructed all zonal directors and state coordinators to conduct surveillance and recall operations for the falsified Postinor-2 products across the country.
The agency urges distributors, pharmacists, healthcare professionals, and retailers to exercise extreme caution and ensure that products are sourced only from licensed and verified suppliers.
Consumers are strongly advised to purchase Postinor-2 only from reputable pharmacies or licensed healthcare providers.
NAFDAC encourages the public to report any suspected counterfeit or substandard medical products to the nearest NAFDAC office, or through the following channels:
Phone: 0800-162-3322 and Email: sf.alert@nafdac.gov.ng
