NAFDAC Launches Improved Med Safety App to Strengthen Reporting of Substandard and Falsified Medical Products and Adverse Drug Reactions in Nigeria
The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has officially launched the improved Med Safety App, a digital platform designed to empower healthcare professionals and members of the public to report suspected Substandard and Falsified (SF) medical products as well as Adverse Drug Reactions (ADR) quickly, easily, and securely.
The launch marks another significant milestone in NAFDAC’s ongoing efforts to strengthen post-marketing surveillance, enhance public participation in medicine safety monitoring, and protect Nigerians from the dangers posed by poor-quality, and falsified medical products.
It should be noted that substandard and falsified medical products remain a major public health challenge globally and in Nigeria, contributing to treatment failure, prolonged illness, antimicrobial resistance, disability, and preventable deaths.
The fight against substandard and falsified medical products and adverse drug reactions requires a whole-of-society approach. Through the improved Med Safety App, every Nigerian now has a simple and effective tool to contribute to safeguarding public health by reporting suspicious medical products and adverse drug reactions directly to NAFDAC.
The improved Med Safety App features a more user-friendly interface, simplified reporting process, enhanced data management capabilities, improved feedback mechanisms, and the ability to upload photographs and relevant product information to support regulatory investigations.
Users can report medical products that exhibit suspicious characteristics such as altered expiry dates, unusual packaging, missing or questionable NAFDAC registration numbers, poor product quality, unexpected treatment failure, or any other indicators suggesting that a product may be substandard or falsified. In addition, users can report Adverse Drug Reactions (ADR), including unexpected side effects, allergic reactions, or any harmful responses experienced after using a medical product.
The App serves as an important surveillance tool that supports NAFDAC’s efforts to monitor both Substandard and Falsified (SF) medical products and Adverse Drug Reactions (ADR), enabling the Agency to:
- Detect substandard and falsified medical products early.
- Prevent harm to patients and communities.
- Facilitate timely investigation and regulatory intervention.
- Strengthen national medicine quality surveillance systems.
- Improve evidence-based regulatory decision-making.
- Remove unsafe medical products from circulation.
The Agency noted that public engagement remains critical to the success of medicine safety initiatives. Reports received through the Med Safety App enable NAFDAC to rapidly identify emerging threats, conduct targeted investigations, issue public alerts where necessary, and take appropriate enforcement actions to protect consumers.
Since the introduction of the improved reporting platform, there has already been encouraging public response and increased reporting of suspected substandard and falsified medicines, demonstrating the value of citizen participation in strengthening medicine safety surveillance.
NAFDAC therefore encourages healthcare professionals, pharmacists, physicians, nurses, patent and proprietary medicine vendors, community health workers, patients, caregivers, and all members of the public to download and actively use the Med Safety App whenever they encounter suspicious medical products or experience adverse drug reactions.
The Agency further urges consumers to purchase medicines only from authorized and reputable sources and to remain vigilant for signs of poor-quality or falsified products.
The Med Safety App is available for download on Android and iOS devices, and can also be accessed through the web and desktop versions, ensuring wider accessibility for all users.