The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has sent out a public alert on the circulation of a fake Accu-Chek Instant Test Strips discovered in Jos, Plateau State.
The details were shared in a statement posted on the agency’s website.
According to NAFDAC, investigations revealed that a counterfeit product, which has originally expired in October 2024, had been tampered with to show a new expiration date of December 2025.
The counterfeit product looks like the original but has a forged expiration date, extending its shelf life beyond the safe limit.
The counterfeit test strips share the same batch number (302244) as the expired ones, with the original manufactured date of January 3, 2023, and a reference number of 07819382134.
Moreover, the revalidated fake product has a modified manufactured date of May 16, 2023, and the reference number 510542426288.
NAFDAC warned that this has a huge risks to individuals relying on the strips to monitor their blood glucose levels.
Accu-Chek Instant is known for being a simple, accurate, and reliable blood glucose monitoring system widely used by people living with diabetes.
However, the original product has a shelf life of 21 months, and any extension beyond that is unauthorized and has deadly effects on the user.
NAFDAC said that the use of counterfeit Accu-Chek Instant test strips could result in inaccurate blood glucose readings.
"Such inaccuracies may lead to incorrect insulin or medication dosages, exposing users to potentially life-threatening episodes of hypoglycemia or hyperglycemia.”
The agency has urged the public, especially healthcare providers and diabetes patients, to exercise extreme caution and ensure they purchase only verified medical products.
In response, all NAFDAC zonal directors and state coordinators have been instructed to intensify surveillance and eliminate counterfeit medical products within their jurisdictions.
“Consumers are also encouraged to report any suspected counterfeit products to the nearest NAFDAC office or through the agency’s reporting platforms, including its website and the Med-Safety App.”
Importers, distributors, retailers, healthcare professionals, and caregivers are urged to remain cautious and only procure medical products from authorized or licensed suppliers. The physical condition and authenticity of products should always be confirmed before use.