The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has officially launched the NAFDAC Green Book.
This comprehensive repository boasts 7,030 entries of NAFDAC-registered drug products, setting a new standard for accessible and reliable drug information.
The launch event, held at NAFDAC’s Lagos office, witnessed the presence of key stakeholders, including representatives from the Association of Community Pharmacists of Nigeria (ACPN) and the Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria (PSN). Prof Moji Adeyeye, the Director-General of NAFDAC, underscored the importance of transparency in NAFDAC’s mission, emphasizing the agency’s dedication to safeguarding the well-being of Nigerians.
This Green Book, comparable to the US FDA’s Orange Book, serves as a dynamic database consolidating detailed data on registered products. Notably, the Director-General highlighted that the book is a work in progress, with vaccines currently being entered, followed by other products.
A collaborative effort between NAFDAC and various stakeholders, the Green Book launch signifies a commitment to building a robust healthcare framework. Prof Adeyeye expressed gratitude to stakeholders for their contributions, recognizing their pivotal role in advancing public health.
During the launch, Olufemi Balogun, Head of the ICT Unit, introduced NAFDAC’s drug information system. The accompanying app provides a comprehensive list of all NAFDAC-approved medicines, including names, strengths, dosage forms, route of administration, and marketing authorization details. Balogun emphasized the app’s role as a single source of truth for healthcare professionals, patients, and the general public seeking reliable information about certified safe medicines.
Dr Dumoi Afam, Deputy Director of e-registration and data management, shed light on the motivation behind the Green Book and the accompanying app.
He explained that the idea stemmed from the need for a centralized database critical to public health. The app’s launch aims to empower patients, medical practitioners, and health providers to check the status of any medicine brought to their attention.
