The Pharmacy and Poisons Board (PPB) has warned Kenyans about falsified Lucentis injections detected in the Kenyan market, with one person arrested in connection with the circulation of the suspected fake medicine.
The regulator identified the affected products as Lucentis (Ranibizumab) 0.3mg injections bearing batch numbers 18862110 and 18802112.
“The falsified Lucentis 0.3mg injection, misleadingly claiming to have been manufactured by Genentech, was detected through the Board’s post-marketing surveillance activities,” the PPB stated in the advisory issued on Monday, September 28.
Lucentis is an eye medicine containing ranibizumab, which is administered by injection into the eye to treat conditions that can cause vision loss. It works by blocking a protein that promotes abnormal blood vessel growth and fluid leakage in the eye.
A comparison with genuine products supplied by Novartis Overseas Investment AG revealed several differences that raised concerns about the authenticity of the affected injections.
“The product is labelled Lucentis, whereas the registered brand in Kenya is Patizra. It is also labelled 0.3mg, while the registered product is labelled 10mg/mL,” the PPB stated.
The PPB further noted that the suspected falsified injection is packaged in a dark amber vial, while the genuine product comes in a clear glass vial. The batch number, manufacturing date and expiry date also do not match the details of the genuine product.
The warning comes days after the Pharmaceutical Society of Kenya (PSK) called on county governments to ensure pharmaceutical outlets obtain valid licences before being allowed to operate. In a statement issued on Friday, September 25, to mark World Pharmacists Day 2026, PSK said county-issued business permits do not authorise the practice of pharmacy or operation of pharmaceutical premises.
“A County Government business permit is not a licence to practise pharmacy. The statutory regulation of pharmacy practice and pharmaceutical premises belongs within the national pharmaceutical regulatory framework,” the society stated.
The PPB warned that falsified medicines may contain the wrong amount of an active ingredient, contain no active ingredient at all, or contain harmful contaminants and undeclared substances.
Such products may fail to provide the intended therapeutic effect while exposing patients to potentially harmful substances, according to the regulator.
Healthcare professionals have been urged to verify the authenticity of the affected products and quarantine any suspected falsified injections they encounter. The PPB also called on procurement agencies, hospitals, distributors and members of the public to immediately report any products bearing the affected batch numbers.
The regulator said one individual had been arrested after being found in possession of the suspected falsified medicine, with investigations ongoing to establish its source, point of entry and the extent of its distribution.
Stakeholders have since been urged to procure health products only from Board-licensed manufacturers, importers, distributors and retailers.
About The Author
