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In a statement on Monday, the PPB said a comparison of the suspected falsified product with the genuine product supplied by Novartis Overseas Investment AG identified several differences, including that the product is labelled Lucentis, while the brand registered in Kenya is Patizra.
The move comes as herbal medicine continues to play an important role in healthcare, particularly among communities where traditional health practitioners remain an early source of treatment.
The latest approvals include five generic semaglutide products, one of which is Truglyx. The medicine was launched in Nairobi last month during the Reset Diabesity conference.
Among the discrepancies noted was the manner in which information had been printed on the suspected fake. The printing technique used on the product was different from that found on authentic Gedeon Richter medicines.
PPB further stated that it has since strengthened oversight measures and stopped approving new applications for parallel-imported medicinal products from October 2025.
According to Duale, the exercise exposed the extent of a problem that has quietly placed many patients at risk of using medicines that are poorly manufactured, contain incorrect ingredients or fail to provide the expected treatment.
Speaking at the 46th Annual Pharmaceutical Society of Kenya Conference in Mombasa, Duale said the government had made the achievement of WHO Maturity Level 3 (ML3) recognition a key priority and had already carried out major reforms to address gaps that have held the country back.
Health CS Aden Duale said the private sector is central to Kenya’s health reforms and Universal Health Coverage, citing SHA disbursements of Sh137.4 billion. He also warned against malpractice and outlined financing, supply chain and digital reforms.
In a statement on Sunday, October 5, 2025, the regulator termed the allegations false and misleading, saying they were intended to cause unwarranted public alarm.
Health Principal Secretary Mary Muthoni confirmed the probe on Thursday and said the Pharmacy and Poisons Board (PPB) is handling the matter following concerns from medical experts.
Three brands of Paracetamol 1000mg/100ml injections were listed in the recall, all of which showed colour changes that raised concern over their quality.