The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has alerted the public about the sale and distribution of fake Kiss Condoms in various Nigerian markets.
According to a public notice by the agency, the information was received from MAH-DKT International Nigeria, a leading non-governmental organization focused on contraceptive social marketing, whose mission is to provide Nigerians with affordable and safe options for family planning and HIV/AIDS prevention.
NAFDAC disclosed that the fake Kiss Condoms have been found in Onitsha Market, Idumota Market, Trade Fair Market, and various markets in Kano, Abuja, Uyo, Gombe, Enugu, and other locations across the country.
Kiss Condom is a brand of male latex condoms designed for sexual protection, mainly to help prevent unwanted pregnancy and sexually transmitted infections such as HIV, gonorrhea, and syphilis.
The agency provided detailed guidelines on how to identify the fake products, noting several differences between the original and counterfeit condoms.
On the box pack, NAFDAC explained that the original DKT Kiss Condom has instructions on the lower part of the pack including “Please read the instructions carefully” and “Single-use only if reused, there might be an increased risk of failure or infection.” The original also contains medical device information, storage and caution information, and bears the correct address of Plot 4, Block E, Isolo Industrial Layout, Oshodi-Apapa Expressway.
In contrast, the fake version has no additional information on the side of the box, is darker in colour, has a wrong address listed as 42 Montgomery Road, Yaba, Lagos, features an incomplete manufacturer’s address, and lacks storage and caution information.
Regarding the condom pack itself, the agency noted that the original has a light red colour with “Kiss” closely written on six lines, while the fake version is darker with “Kiss” loosely written on five lines with more space between each line, and the condom strip is longer than the original.
On the wallet packaging, NAFDAC stated that the original has a lighter red pack, correct Oshodi-Apapa address, complete manufacturer information, detailed instructions, and eight bullet points under Important Notes. The fake version has a darker red pack, wrong address, missing manufacturer addresses, summarized information, and only six bullet points.
The agency further revealed that the original condom is larger, has a large teat end for collection of semen, is oval-shaped, and is more lubricated. The fake condom is thinner in size, has a small teat end, is round in shape, and has less lubrication.
NAFDAC warned that the use of fake condoms poses serious health risks due to poor quality, lack of sterilization, and absence of regulation, leading to ineffective protection against pregnancy and sexually transmitted infections. Risks include breakage, infection, allergic reactions, and false security.
The agency has directed all NAFDAC zonal directors and state coordinators to carry out surveillance and mop up the falsified Kiss Condoms in various Nigerian markets within their zones and states.
Distributors, retailers, healthcare professionals, and caregivers have been advised to exercise caution and vigilance in the supply chain to prevent the distribution, sale, and use of falsified products, adding that all medical products must be obtained from authorized and licensed suppliers.
Healthcare professionals and consumers are advised to report any suspicion of the sale of substandard and falsified medicines or medical devices to the nearest NAFDAC office, call NAFDAC on 0800-162-3322, or send email to [email protected].
NAFDAC added that the notice will be uploaded to the WHO Global Surveillance and Monitoring System.
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