NAFDAC launches upgraded app to combat fake medicines

The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has introduced an upgraded Med Safety App to combat substandard and falsified medical products in Nigeria. The digital platform enables healthcare professionals and the public to report suspicious medicines and adverse drug reactions quickly, securely, and through a user-friendly interface. Users can upload photos and product details to support investigations, while the system improves data management and feedback mechanisms. NAFDAC Director-General Mojisola Adeyeye highlighted that substandard and falsified medicines remain a major public health threat, causing treatment failures, antimicrobial resistance, and preventable deaths. The app allows reports on medicines with altered expiry dates, unusual packaging, questionable registration numbers, or poor quality, as well as adverse reactions like allergic responses or unexpected side effects. Reports submitted through the app help regulators identify unsafe products early, enabling swift investigations and regulatory action to remove them from circulation. Public participation is critical, as citizen reports assist in detecting emerging threats and issuing timely alerts to prevent harm. Since its upgrade, the platform has seen increased reporting of suspected substandard and falsified medicines, which NAFDAC describes as encouraging. The agency urges healthcare workers, pharmacists, patients, and caregivers to download the app—available on Android, iOS, web, and desktop—and report suspicious products or reactions. NAFDAC advises consumers to purchase medicines only from authorized sources and remain vigilant for signs of counterfeit products. The app aims to strengthen medicine safety monitoring and post-marketing surveillance across Nigeria.