The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has alerted the public to a falsified Oxycontin 80mg (oxycodone hydrochloride) detected in an unregulated market in Switzerland.
The public alert, No. 07/2025, has been uploaded on the agency’s website.
NAFDAC stated that the issue was reported to the World Health Organisation (WHO) by the genuine manufacturer, MUNDIPHARMA, in February.
According to the agency, the falsified product imitates the genuine OXYCONTIN 80mg authorized for sale in Poland. The authentic OXYCONTIN (oxycodone hydrochloride) is a semi-synthetic opioid used to treat moderate to severe pain.
Laboratory tests conducted by the Drug Information Centre in Zurich, Switzerland, revealed that the falsified product contained no oxycodone but a synthetic opioid, likely a nitazene compound.
NAFDAC warned that nitazene derivatives (e.g., metonitazene, isotonitazene, fluonitazene) are highly potent opioids primarily used in research due to their high addiction potential and severe side effects.
“These substances can be hundreds of times stronger than oxycodone, posing a high overdose risk,” the agency warned, stressing that limited information exists on their risks, toxicity, side effects, and long-term consequences.
NAFDAC confirmed the product as falsified, stating that it deliberately misrepresented its identity, composition, or source.
The agency highlighted visible discrepancies, including incorrect placement of batch and expiry dates.
“The falsified product places the expiry date on the left and the batch number on the right, whereas the genuine OXYCONTIN has the batch number on the left and the expiry date on the right,” NAFDAC stated.
NAFDAC has directed its zonal directors and state coordinators to conduct surveillance and retrieve any falsified versions of the medicine found in Nigeria.
The agency urged importers, distributors, retailers, healthcare professionals, and consumers to remain vigilant to prevent the importation, distribution, sale, and use of falsified OXYCONTIN tablets.
It advised that all medical products must be obtained from authorized suppliers, emphasizing the need to verify authenticity and physical condition.
NAFDAC urged healthcare professionals and consumers to report suspected cases of substandard or falsified medicines to the nearest NAFDAC office or via its helpline at 0800-162-3322, email sf.alert@nafdac.gov.ng, or through the Med-safety app.
The agency encouraged reporting of adverse reactions to medicinal products via its e-reporting platforms at www.nafdac.gov.ng.
(NAN)