By Ajibola Olaide, JKNewsMedia Reporter
CIRCULATION OF an unregistered menopause support supplement identified as Menofix composition has prompted a public health alert from the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), over potential health risks linked to its sale and use.
JKNewsMedia.com reports that the agency urged the consuming general public, healthcare professionals and medicine vendors to avoid purchasing, distributing or recommending the product, stressing that it has not been approved for use in Nigeria.
NAFDAC issued the advisory on Tuesday following a complaint received over the marketing and sale of the product, which is promoted as a hormone free, vegetarian friendly multivitamin and herbal supplement for women experiencing perimenopause and menopause.
The agency said investigations by its Post Marketing Surveillance Directorate confirmed that the product was never registered with NAFDAC.
It clarified that while products with similar names exist on its register, the circulating Menofix composition is different from the approved formulations.
NAFDAC identified the registered products as Menofix Herbal Capsule, with NAFDAC Registration No. A7 103321L, and Menofix Powder, with NAFDAC Registration No. A7 103342L.
Both products are classified as herbal and nutraceutical products manufactured by Gudugudu Herbal Worldwide Enterprises.
The agency said the unregistered product is currently being sold over the counter, through online platforms and in retail outlets across the country.
It disclosed that some ingredients contained in the unauthorised supplement have been linked in rare cases to serious liver related complications, including hepatitis, elevated liver enzymes, jaundice and liver failure.
NAFDAC said it has started efforts to trace the product’s distribution network while increasing surveillance activities to remove it from the market.
JKNewsMedia.com also reports that the agency added that all its zonal directors and state coordinators have been directed to monitor markets within their jurisdictions and seize the product wherever it is found.
It advised retailers and healthcare providers to source medicines only from authorised suppliers and verify the registration status and physical condition of medical products before dispensing or purchasing them.
NAFDAC therefore urged members of the public and healthcare professionals to promptly report suspected cases involving substandard, falsified or unregistered medicines and medical devices to the nearest NAFDAC office for appropriate regulatory action.
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