-
- NAFDAC has issued a public alert on falsified Oxycontin 80mg (oxycodone hydrochloride) detected in an unregulated market in Switzerland.
- The falsified product imitates the genuine OXYCONTIN 80mg authorized for sale in Poland.
- Laboratory tests revealed that the tablets contain a synthetic opioid, likely a nitazene compound, which poses a high overdose risk.
The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has warned Nigerians about a falsified version of Oxycontin 80mg, a semi-synthetic opioid used to treat moderate to severe pain. The agency issued a public alert, No. 07/2025, after the genuine manufacturer, MUNDIPHARMA, reported the issue to the World Health Organization (WHO) in February.
According to NAFDAC, the falsified product was detected in an unregulated market in Switzerland and imitates the genuine OXYCONTIN 80mg authorized for sale in Poland. Laboratory tests conducted by the Drug Information Centre in Zurich, Switzerland, revealed that the tablets do not contain oxycodone but instead contain a synthetic opioid likely to be a nitazene compound.
NAFDAC warns that nitazene derivatives are potent synthetic opioids with high addiction potential and severe side effects. These substances can be hundreds of times stronger than oxycodone, posing a high overdose risk. The agency stresses that limited information is available on their risks, toxicity, side effects, and long-term consequences.
The falsified product has been found to contain undeclared nitazene compounds, which pose a significant risk due to the high likelihood of adverse events, even in small doses. NAFDAC advises Nigerians to be cautious and avoid purchasing medications from unregulated markets.
