Fake Drugs and Foods: Can Nigerians Trust What They Buy?

Concerns about counterfeit, substandard and adulterated medicines, foods and beverages are again raising questions about consumer safety in Nigeria. Sophisticated packaging can make fake products difficult to identify without laboratory testing or regulatory verification. Reports from consumers and sellers about medicines that did not work or packaged products with unusual smells and tastes should be investigated carefully. Such signs do not automatically prove a product is fake, but they can point to problems that require prompt regulatory attention. Health experts warn that weak supply-chain monitoring, informal markets and limited post-market surveillance can allow unsafe products to reach consumers. NAFDAC and consumer-protection authorities must strengthen inspections, traceability, testing and public alerts. Consumers should buy medicines from registered outlets, keep receipts and packaging, and report suspicious products to the appropriate regulator. Nigeria needs a system that detects unsafe goods before they reach pharmacy shelves and shop counters.

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