This Article is From Aug 04, 2009

Interpol probes fake drugs with 'Made in India' label

New Delhi: Nigeria has taken up with the world police organisation Interpol the issue of fake drugs seized in the African country with a "Made in India" label, allegedly originating in China.
 "... We have contacted the Interpol, so the Interpol is looking into the case. We hope to get to the bottom of it," National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) Director-General Paul Orhii told reporters on Tuesday.

He said the Chinese authorities have asked the Nigerian government for more information regarding the case.

"They (Chinese) are (investigating) and I think they have made some progress," he said. Nigeria was more vigilant and scrutinising Chinese companies more closely after the seizure, he added.

Orhii, however, said the incident has not affected the image of Indian firms in the country.

"We made it immediately known to everybody that (the drugs) are not made in India," he said on the sidelines of a FICCI meet, adding, "We need to jointly conduct with the Indian government a public awareness campaign about Indian products coming to Nigeria".

Recently, fake drugs carrying the 'Made in India' label were seized in Nigeria, but were allegedly manufactured in China. India took up the issue with China as this could damage the reputation of the 12-billion-dollar Indian pharmaceutical industry in the global market.
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