The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has blacklisted Aveo Pharmaceuticals Pvt Limited, an Indian pharmaceutical company, for manufacturing and exporting dangerously addictive pills with severe health risks, including potential fatalities.
Thank you for reading this post, don't forget to subscribe!Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye, NAFDAC’s Director-General, made the announcement during a press briefing in Abuja on Friday. She revealed that Aveo Pharmaceuticals operates from the outskirts of Mumbai, India, and has been linked to the production and export of pills containing a hazardous mix of Tapentadol, a powerful opioid, and Carisoprodol, a banned muscle relaxant known for its strong addictive properties.
The pills, marketed under the brand names Tafrodol and Royal 225, are highly addictive and pose a significant risk of overdose and death. Adeyeye disclosed that an investigation by BBC World Service had uncovered the circulation of these harmful products in Nigeria, Ghana, and Côte d’Ivoire, with Aveo’s branding present on the packaging.
In addition to these pills, Aveo Pharmaceuticals is also implicated in the manufacturing of high-dose tramadol for export to West African nations, including Nigeria. NAFDAC clarified that it has never registered Tafrodol, Royal 225, or any tramadol product exceeding 100mg, and has not approved any products from Aveo Pharmaceuticals.
Citing the NAFDAC Act Cap N.1 LFN 2004 and the Counterfeit and Fake Drugs Act Cap C.34 LFN 2004, NAFDAC officially blacklisted Aveo Pharmaceuticals, stating it will no longer consider any of the company’s products for registration in the future.
“The public is urged to support NAFDAC’s efforts in combating fake, substandard, and falsified pharmaceutical products by avoiding unregistered medicines and only using drugs prescribed by licensed medical professionals,” Adeyeye urged.
