NAFDAC Raises The Alarm Over Falsified Oxycontin

NAFDAC Raises The Alarm Over Falsified Oxycontin

The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has warned the public about a falsified batch of Oxycontin 80mg found in the unregulated market in Switzerland.

The falsified product was reported to the World Health Organisation by the genuine manufacturer, Mundipharma, in February 2025.

It imitates the authentic Oxycontin 80mg approved for sale in Poland but does not contain the correct active ingredient.

The original Oxycontin (oxycodone hydrochloride) is a semi-synthetic opioid indicated for the treatment of moderate to severe pain.

The falsified product has been found to contain undeclared nitazene compounds, which pose a significant risk due to the high likelihood of adverse events, even in small doses.

The agency in a statement on its website said: “The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) is alerting the public of one batch of falsified OXYCONTIN 80mg (oxycodone hydrochloride) detected in the unregulated market in Switzerland. This was reported to the World Health Organization (WHO) by the genuine manufacturer, MUNDIPHARMA, in February 2025. The falsified product imitates the genuine OXYCONTIN 80mg authorized for sale in Poland.

“Genuine OXYCONTIN (oxycodone hydrochloride) is a semi-synthetic opioid indicated for the treatment of moderate to severe pain.

“Laboratory tests of samples for the falsified product were conducted by the Drug Information Centre in Zurich, Switzerland, according to WHO. DIZ’s drug-checking service determined that the tablets did not contain oxycodone, but a synthetic opioid likely to be a nitazene compound.

“Nitazene derivatives (e.g., metonitazene, isotonitazene, fluonitazene) are potent synthetic opioids, primarily used in research due to their high addiction potential and severe side effects. These substances can be hundreds of times stronger than oxycodone, posing a high overdose risk. Limited information is available on their risks, toxicity, side effects, and long-term consequences.

“The identified product in this alert is confirmed as falsified on the basis that it deliberately/fraudulently misrepresented its identity, composition, or source. The falsified product imitates OXYCONTIN 80mg manufactured and marketed by MUNDIPHARMA in the Polish market. MUNDIPHARMA has confirmed that the product was falsified and was not produced by their company.”