NAFDAC Successfully Deploys TruScan Handheld Raman Spectrometers

Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc., the world leader in serving science, today announced that the Nigerian National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has successfully field-deployed several Thermo Scientific TruScan handheld Raman instruments for the rapid identification of counterfeit and substandard drugs.

Formerly sold under the Ahura Scientific brand, TruScan® is a new tool in NAFDAC’s aggressive campaign against counterfeit and substandard drugs. TruScan has already aided authorities in the seizure of more than 60,000 dangerous counterfeit drugs which would otherwise have entered the supply chain and quickly reached the general public.

TruScan is a handheld Raman spectrometer that identifies the slightest difference in drug formulation. Within seconds, the user is alerted with a clear “pass” or “fail” reading. Its rugged and lightweight design makes TruScan ideal for use by authorities in a variety of operations.

“Perhaps the most effective and groundbreaking device ever employed in the fight against counterfeiting is TruScan,” said Dr. Paul Orhii, director general, NAFDAC at the 5th Global Forum on Pharmaceutical Anti-Counterfeiting. “Although TruScan has just been introduced to our campaign, it has yielded positive results and tremendous success. Recently, a consignment of counterfeit Lonart DS anti-malarial tablets, worth 10 million naira, was intercepted by using TruScan. The drugs were immediately tested, identified as having the incorrect chemical composition and arrests were made.”

Counterfeit and substandard drugs are a worldwide problem that greatly impacts developing countries. The World Health Organization estimates that counterfeit pharmaceutical levels range from less than one percent in the developed world to more than 30 percent in some less developed regions.

Nigeria has been a pioneer in the fight against counterfeit drugs, recently bringing counterfeit pharmaceutical levels down from 42 percent to 16 percent thanks to an aggressive policy of intercepting shipments and pursuing counterfeiters. With instruments such as TruScan, NAFDAC is raising the quality and inspection standards in Nigeria and will be able to identify and remove counterfeit drugs from the supply chain, helping to ensure the safety of patients throughout the country.

“NAFDAC should be commended for taking a leadership role in the battle against counterfeit and substandard pharmaceuticals,” said Doug Kahn, vice president and general manager of Thermo Fisher Scientific’s portable optical analysis business. “We’re confident that TruScan will enable the Nigerian government to dramatically reduce the amount of counterfeit drugs entering the country as well as those already in circulation. This is expected to have a significant impact on the health of their population.”