Beware: NAFDAC warns against counterfeit Colgate toothpaste in circulation

The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has alerted Nigerians to the circulation of counterfeit Colgate toothpaste.

In a statement on Sunday, the agency said it received a report of the distribution of unregistered and suspected counterfeit Colgate toothpaste in Kaduna state.

NAFDAC said its post-marketing surveillance (PMS) directorate acted on the report by deploying officers to investigate the outlet where the products were allegedly being sold.

“Upon investigation, a team of PMS officers visited the outlet where the product was being sold,” the statement reads.

“They discovered two suspected unregistered and counterfeit Colgate toothpaste products, branded as Coglaet ActivGel 100g and Coglaet Herbal 100g, available for sale.”

According to the agency, the shop owner claimed the products were sourced from a door-to-door sales representative but could not provide proof of purchase.

NAFDAC warned that the products “have not met the required regulatory standards for registration and quality assurance, thereby posing a potential risk to public health and safety”.

It added that the counterfeit items have since been removed from circulation at the outlet, while investigations are ongoing to trace persons responsible for their distribution.

Details released by the agency show that the fake products labelled as Coglaet Crema Dental Herbal 100g and Coglaet ActivGel 100g, bear no batch numbers or NAFDAC registration numbers, despite listing a Chinese manufacturer.

The agency said it has directed all its zonal directors and state coordinators to intensify surveillance efforts and mop up the unregistered and counterfeited products if found within their zones and states.

It also urged stakeholders across the supply chain to remain vigilant. Thecable