The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has issued a public alert over the circulation of falsified Gold Vision Oxytocin injection 10IU, warning that the drug poses serious risks to mothers and newborns. The product, which carries a fake registration number, was falsely labeled as manufactured by Anhui Hongye Pharmaceutical Co. Ltd. of China and marketed by Gold Vision Medicals, Enugu. NAFDAC said the counterfeit injection was uncovered during a risk-based post-marketing surveillance exercise.
According to the agency, further investigations revealed additional falsified products — A-tocin injection, Extocin injection, and Claxitodin injection — all bearing the same forged registration number, A4-9566. None of the products were found in NAFDAC’s official database of registered medicines, confirming them as falsified. The regulator stressed that such products could contain the wrong dose, no active ingredient, or harmful substances, leading to dangerous complications such as weak uterine contractions, uncontrolled postpartum bleeding, or maternal death.
Oxytocin, a critical hormone and pharmaceutical drug, is widely used to induce or strengthen labour, control postpartum haemorrhage, and aid breastfeeding. NAFDAC cautioned that the use of poor-quality or falsified oxytocin could delay or fail to stop bleeding after childbirth, often necessitating emergency interventions like surgery or blood transfusion. It therefore urged healthcare professionals and consumers to exercise vigilance and avoid using products without proper verification.
The agency confirmed it has directed its zonal directors and state coordinators to intensify surveillance and withdraw falsified products wherever found. Importers, distributors, and retailers were specifically warned against importing, marketing, or selling the affected products, while the public was advised to only obtain medicines from licensed and verified suppliers.
NAFDAC further encouraged citizens to report suspected cases of falsified or substandard medicines through its hotlines, nearest state offices, or digital reporting platforms, including the Med-Safety App. It assured Nigerians that it remains committed to safeguarding public health by ensuring that all medical products circulating in the country meet the required standards of safety, quality, and efficacy.
