The Pharmacy and Poisons Board (PPB) has sounded the alarm over a falsified batch of Avastin (Bevacizumab 100mg) Injection, a cancer drug currently circulating in the Kenyan market.
In a statement, the Board said the counterfeit batch, labelled H0573B01, is falsely purporting to be manufactured by global pharmaceutical company Roche.
The regulator warned that the fake product poses serious risks to patients who depend on Avastin to manage cancers such as colorectal, lung, and kidney cancer.
Avastin is prescribed to manage several types of cancer, including colorectal, lung, and kidney cancer, by helping slow the growth of tumors.
The Board has urged hospitals, pharmacies, and wholesalers to verify their stock and immediately report any suspicious consignments linked to the falsified batch.
It further urged all players in the medical supply chain to source health products only from licensed manufacturers, importers, and distributors.
“Obtaining products from unlicensed sources endangers patient safety and will result in strict regulatory and legal consequences.”
The Board added that it is working with investigative agencies to trace and prosecute those behind the circulation of the counterfeit drug in violation of the Pharmacy and Poisons Act (Cap 244).
PPB has urged members of the public to report any suspected fake or substandard medicines through its official channels.
