NAFDAC denies report indicting pharmacy council over counterfeit drug distribution

The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has dismissed a report by Africa Independent Television (AIT), which claimed the agency accused the Pharmacy Council of Nigeria (PCN) of distributing counterfeit medicines.

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In a statement issued on Sunday, NAFDAC’s Director General, Mojisola Adeyeye, clarified that her interview with AIT on 1 March had been misrepresented.

Mrs Adeyeye emphasised that she never accused the PCN of any wrongdoing during the interview but rather offered a comprehensive legal, regulatory, and historical analysis of both organisations’ roles.

She also highlighted the difficulties in regulating Patent and Proprietary Medicines Vendors (PPMVs), citing fragmented oversight and ongoing legal conflicts as key challenges.

Backstory

The controversy began after AIT reported that NAFDAC had accused the PCN of being involved in the distribution of counterfeit medicines.

The report, which was based on Mrs Adeyeye’s interview, suggested that NAFDAC had directly blamed the PCN for lapses in drug regulation.

The claim quickly spread, raising public concern about a possible breakdown in cooperation between the two regulatory bodies.

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However, both NAFDAC and the PCN swiftly denied the allegations, describing them as a misrepresentation of the facts.

Mrs Adeyeye has clarified that her comments had been taken out of context, adding that she had only provided a perspective on the roles of both organisations in addressing the issue of counterfeit medicines.

Request for retraction

NAFDAC has strongly criticised AIT’s report, stating that it misrepresents the agency’s position.

The report, titled “NAFDAC Implicates Pharmacy Council of Nigeria on Counterfeit Medicine Distribution,” was met with dismay by the agency.

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In response, Mrs Adeyeye has demanded an immediate retraction of the report, along with a public apology aired with the same level of prominence as the original story.

She further urged the media house to uphold journalistic integrity in its future reporting on NAFDAC’s activities. She warned that failure to comply would leave the agency with no choice but to take appropriate regulatory and legal action.

Mrs Adeyeye reminded the media house of its obligations under the Nigeria Broadcasting Code (6th Edition, 2016), specifically Section 5.0, Subsection 5.1.2, which outlines the ethical and professional standards for news reporting.

The agency emphasised that any failure to adhere to these principles constitutes a regulatory breach.