NAFDAC Says Test On Moderna Vaccine To Take Four Days

The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control
on Wednesday said the results of test conducted on the Moderna
COVID-19 vaccine will be ready in three to four days.

The agency also said following the surveillance mounted across
the country, it apprehended over 70 substandard and fake drugs
being sold in the market.

Speaking at a sensitisation programme against fake drugs in
Abuja on Wednesday, the agency’s Director-General, Prof Mojisola
Adeyeye, said the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine that was recently
delivered to the country is still undergoing testing at the
agency’s laboratory.

She said, “We have been working round the clock in terms of
making sure that we do the testing on the vaccine.

“The health of our people is very key to us at NAFDAC. It is not
something you go to the laboratory and come out with the result
immediately.

“It will take like three to four days, but we are trying to
shorten it as much as possible.”

Adeyeye said the main goal of NAFDAC is to ensure that the
vaccine is good for Nigerians.

Speaking on the survey conducted by the agency on the prevalence
of substandard drugs in Nigeria before the outbreak of COVID-19 in
2020, Adeyeye said the country has 17 per cent prevalence rate of
substandard and falsified drugs.

She however explained that the survey is no longer current as it
was done early last year before the outbreak of COVID-19.

“Before COVID-19, we had a 17 per cent prevalence rate of
substandard drugs in Nigeria.

“Actually, in terms of substandard and fake drugs, South-West
has the highest prevalent rate. In terms of states, Lagos has the
highest and we are working on that to reduce it,” she added.

The NAFDAC DG disclosed that so far, the agency has successfully
apprehended over 70 substandard and falsified products through its
surveillance efforts.

She attributed the inability of NAFDAC to conduct fresh survey
on substandard drugs to the restrictions imposed by the COVID-19
pandemic which disrupted activities and programmes in all sectors
of the economy.

Again, Adeyeye blamed the influx and prevalence of substandard
products in the country on the absence of a regulatory body like
NAFDAC at the various ports of entry.

She said the agency has since overcome the challenge and has
been working hard to stem the tide of distribution of substandard
products around the country.

“We are using a multifaceted approach to reduce substandard and
falsified medicine in the country. The federal government has
approved a device that can be used to know whether a medicine is
falsified or not and we are going through the process of
procurement in order to make that available throughout Nigeria,”
she added.

The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control
on Wednesday said the results of test conducted on the Moderna
COVID-19 vaccine will be ready in three to four days.

The agency also said following the surveillance mounted across
the country, it apprehended over 70 substandard and fake drugs
being sold in the market.

Speaking at a sensitisation programme against fake drugs in
Abuja on Wednesday, the agency’s Director-General, Prof Mojisola
Adeyeye, said the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine that was recently
delivered to the country is still undergoing testing at the
agency’s laboratory.

She said, “We have been working round the clock in terms of
making sure that we do the testing on the vaccine.

“The health of our people is very key to us at NAFDAC. It is not
something you go to the laboratory and come out with the result
immediately.

“It will take like three to four days, but we are trying to
shorten it as much as possible.”

Adeyeye said the main goal of NAFDAC is to ensure that the
vaccine is good for Nigerians.

Speaking on the survey conducted by the agency on the prevalence
of substandard drugs in Nigeria before the outbreak of COVID-19 in
2020, Adeyeye said the country has 17 per cent prevalence rate of
substandard and falsified drugs.

She however explained that the survey is no longer current as it
was done early last year before the outbreak of COVID-19.

“Before COVID-19, we had a 17 per cent prevalence rate of
substandard drugs in Nigeria.

“Actually, in terms of substandard and fake drugs, South-West
has the highest prevalent rate. In terms of states, Lagos has the
highest and we are working on that to reduce it,” she added.

The NAFDAC DG disclosed that so far, the agency has successfully
apprehended over 70 substandard and falsified products through its
surveillance efforts.

She attributed the inability of NAFDAC to conduct fresh survey
on substandard drugs to the restrictions imposed by the COVID-19
pandemic which disrupted activities and programmes in all sectors
of the economy.

Again, Adeyeye blamed the influx and prevalence of substandard
products in the country on the absence of a regulatory body like
NAFDAC at the various ports of entry.

She said the agency has since overcome the challenge and has
been working hard to stem the tide of distribution of substandard
products around the country.

“We are using a multifaceted approach to reduce substandard and
falsified medicine in the country. The federal government has
approved a device that can be used to know whether a medicine is
falsified or not and we are going through the process of
procurement in order to make that available throughout Nigeria,”
she added.