* Logo source: Swank Pharm
The Federal Government through National Agency for Food and Drug Administration & Control, (NAFDAC) has closed down three pharmaceutical firms that were fingered in the codeine syrup brouhaha.
The companies according to NAFDAC are: Peace Standard Pharmaceutical Limited, Bioraj Pharmaceutical Limited and Emzor Pharmaceuticals Ind. Lmiitd.
The Director General of NAFDAC, Prof Mojisola Adeyeye ,who disclosed this in a statement, explained that the companies were shut as aa result of findings from investigations and inspections at the companies
“Due to insufficient evidence gathered and apparent resistance to provide needed documents during our inspection on May 2, 2018 at the respective companies in Ilorin and Lagos, respectively, it has become necessary to shut down all product lines of the three companies – Peace Standard Pharmaceutical Limited. Plots 3 & 8, Adewole Industrial Estate, Lubcon Avenue, Ilorin, Kwara State; Bioraj Pharmaceutical Limited. No 405 Kaima Road, Ilorin, Kwara State and Emzor Pharmaceuticals Ind. Ltd., Ajao Estate, Lagos. This is to allow for a full and comprehensive investigation. The three companies therefore remain closed,” the statement reads in part.
It continued, “The reopening of the manufacturing companies will depend on the level of cooperation that is shown during the comprehensive investigation.”
NAFDAC further hinted in the statement, the Director General has constituted a Task Force to be made up of NAFDAC Directors Registration and Regulatory Affairs, Narcotics and Controlled Substances and Drug Evaluation and Research.
It listed the members of PMG-MAN in the Committee to include: the Executive Secretary of PMG-MAN, Fidson Healthcare, May & Baker PLC, and Emzor Pharmaceutical Industries.
The statement added that on May 2 and 3, 2018, “A team of nine NAFDAC officers (2 from Drug and Evaluation Research – DER and 7 from Investigation & Enforcement – I&E) and 10 mobile police officers were sent to Ilorin, Kwara state on May 2, 2018 to carry out investigational inspection at the companies of the two different pharmaceutical companies that are licensed to manufacture codeine-containing syrup and which were implicated in the BBC documentary. The same investigational inspection by a different NAFDAC team took place on the same day and time as the Ilorin companies at the manufacturing facility of Emzor Pharmaceuticals Ind. Ltd., Ajao Estate, Lagos. The focus of the assignment was to access and monitor from records the utilisation, sales and effective distribution of the codeine containing cough syrups to the end users.”
However, there is plan to meet with stakeholders on the issue while the firms remain shut and investigation continues.
