The Pharmacy and Poisons Board (PPB) has alerted healthcare providers and the public to a falsified batch of Postinor-2 emergency contraceptive tablets currently circulating in the local market, confirming the arrest of two individuals in connection with the counterfeit drug ring.
According to a formal public alert issued by PPB Chief Executive Officer Dr. Ahmed I. Mohamed, the fake product carries batch number T34197R and falsely claims to be manufactured by Hungarian pharmaceutical company Gedeon Richter Plc. The regulator detected the counterfeit stock during routine post-marketing surveillance activities across retail and wholesale pharmacy outlets.
Laboratory evaluations and comparative checks conducted alongside the genuine manufacturer, Gedeon Richter, revealed several structural and print discrepancies on the counterfeit packaging. The falsified cartons feature an unusually intense orange hue on the brand lettering, typographical errors within the Patient Information Leaflet, and a different font on the scratch-off authentication panel. Furthermore, while authentic Postinor-2 packs are sealed using a hot-melt closure, the fake boxes lack this factory seal and display a non-standard batch printing method.
The circulation of counterfeit Levonorgestrel 0.75mg tablets presents severe public health and reproductive risks. The regulator warned that the falsified pills may contain incorrect dosages of the active hormone, no active ingredients whatsoever, or undeclared chemical contaminants. For consumers, taking ineffective emergency contraception increases the likelihood of unintended pregnancies, while exposure to unverified fillers poses direct toxicological dangers.
Police and regulatory enforcement officers have seized quantities of the fake batch and arrested two suspects found in possession of the supplies. Multi-agency investigations remain active to trace the origin of the shipment, identify entry points at national borders, and clear secondary supply chains before the fake tablets reach more retail counters.
PPB has instructed hospitals, chemists, and distributors to audit their inventories immediately, quarantine any stock matching batch T34197R, and source all medical supplies strictly from PPB-licensed entities. Members of the public who suspect they have encountered or purchased the counterfeit tablets are urged to report the items using the official USSD code *271#, the mPvERS mobile app, or by contacting the national pharmacovigilance portal.
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