Pharmacy and Poisons Board issues alert on circulation of ‘fake’ P2 pills in Kenya

The alert concerns Batch Number T34197R, which misleadingly claims to have been manufactured by Gedeon Richter Plc. Postinor-2 is an emergency contraceptive used to help prevent pregnancy after unprotected sex or contraceptive failure.

The board said it detected the falsified Postinor-2 through these surveillance activities. A comparison between the suspected falsified product and genuine Postinor-2 supplied by Gedeon Richter revealed several differences.

The batch printing method on the falsified product differs from that used on authentic Gedeon Richter products, while the patient information leaflet contains several printing and typographical errors.

Differences were also identified in the way the product’s carton is sealed. According to the Board, genuine Gedeon Richter packs are sealed using a hot-melt closure, while the falsified pack is not.

The packaging colour also differs, with the orange colour used on the brand name and other areas of the pack significantly more intense than that on the genuine product.

The Board further found that the font of the logo revealed after scratching the authentication panel differs from the font used on the genuine pack.

“These observations strongly indicate that the product is falsified and is not manufactured or released by Gedeon Richter,” the board said.

The regulator warned that the falsified Postinor-2 may contain incorrect amounts of the active ingredient, no active ingredient at all, harmful contaminants, or undeclared substances and therefore may not provide the intended therapeutic effect.

The alert highlights the importance of obtaining medicines from authorised sources and exercising caution when a product’s packaging or other identifying features appear different from those of a genuine product.