Kenya’s Pharmacy and Poisons Board has urged the public to exercise caution when purchasing and using medicines, warning consumers to watch for signs of suspected falsification.
Dr Pamela Nambwa, a pharmacoepidemiologist and pharmacovigilance specialist at the Board, issued the warning during a local television interview on Sunday, August 16, as she discussed pharmacovigilance, post-market surveillance and measures to protect the public from unsafe pharmaceutical products.
She advised consumers to check a medicine’s packaging, colour, spelling and product name, particularly when it appears different from one they regularly use.
She said the regulator regularly issues safety alerts and rapid communications to healthcare providers and members of the public whenever concerns arise over particular pharmaceutical products.
“We’ve been very clear, and we alert our healthcare providers and even the public through the safety alerts and the rapid alerts communication that we send out on how to identify maybe a fake medicine,” Nambwa said.
She advised consumers to inspect the packaging and general appearance of medicines before taking them, especially when a product appears different from what they normally use.
According to Nambwa, patients who take medicines for chronic conditions over extended periods may be particularly well placed to notice changes because they become familiar with the appearance of their medication.
“For the chronic patients who are using medicine for a long time, you’d find that they are used to their medications. So, this time when they’re going to buy a product, they would actually notice some discrepancy, some differences,” she stressed.
Consumers should examine the colour of tablets, spelling, product names and other information displayed on the packaging. An unexpected change in the appearance of a familiar medicine should prompt caution.
Nambwa used paracetamol to illustrate the point, saying consumers should question a product if its appearance differs significantly from what they normally expect.
“If I’m used to paracetamol, it’s supposed to be maybe white. When I buy it, and I see some funny colour like brown, yellowish, or something that is a bit off, we just tell you, you need to be suspicious,” she highlighted.
The specialist also referred to a recent alert concerning suspected falsified Postinor-2 as an example of the potential risks associated with counterfeit or falsified medicines.
However, she cautioned consumers against attempting to establish independently whether a medicine is genuine.
“You don’t need to be certain; just be suspicious that this medicine is looking off.”
The Board’s guidance means consumers do not have to prove that a medicine is fake before raising concerns. Instead, unusual characteristics should prompt them to stop and seek guidance from the relevant authorities or healthcare professionals.
Nambwa urged members of the public who encounter medicines they suspect may be falsified to report them to the Pharmacy and Poisons Board.
The regulator can then investigate the reported products and take appropriate regulatory action, helping to prevent potentially unsafe medicines from reaching or remaining in the market.
The warning comes as health authorities continue efforts to strengthen surveillance of pharmaceutical products after they reach consumers.