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NAFDAC Issues Public Alert, Recalls Batch of Juhel Folic Acid Tablets Over Quality Concerns

By Achimi Muktar

In a startling development that has raised alarm among healthcare professionals and families across Nigeria, the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has issued an urgent public alert over a popular folic acid tablet, Juhel Folic Acid 5mg x1000, declaring it substandard and potentially dangerous.

NAFDAC revealed that the affected batch, Lot Number 0531, manufactured by Juhel Pharma Ltd. in Enugu, failed to meet essential quality standards. This revelation followed the agency’s Risk-Based Post Marketing Surveillance (PMS) conducted in February 2025.

According to laboratory analysis, the tablets were found to have low active pharmaceutical ingredient (API) content, meaning they may not work as expected. Folic acid is a crucial supplement used to treat or prevent folate deficiency anaemia and is vital during pregnancy to support the baby’s brain, skull, and spinal cord development — potentially preventing severe birth defects like spina bifida.

NAFDAC disclosed that the root cause of the issue was a malfunction in the weight adjuster device of the tableting machine used by Juhel Pharma Ltd. This technical failure led to inconsistencies in the dosage — a red flag in the pharmaceutical world.

Following the discovery, the manufacturer has initiated a recall of the batch in question, while NAFDAC has mobilized its zonal directors and state coordinators to sweep the market clean of the substandard product.

NAFDAC didn’t mince words when listing the health risks tied to such medications:

Treatment failure

Drug resistance

Toxic reactions

Fatal outcomes

“Substandard medicines may contain toxic substances, incorrect ingredients, or incorrect dosages, leading to severe adverse effects,” the agency warned.

Healthcare professionals, caregivers, and the general public are urged to remain vigilant, only sourcing medicines from licensed suppliers and reporting any suspicious products to the nearest NAFDAC office.

In a related concern, NAFDAC cited a recent alert issued by India’s Central Drugs Standard Control Organization (CDSCO), which found numerous pharmaceutical products to be Not of Standard Quality (NSQ).

The Indian watchdog’s findings involved companies with significant operations or partnerships in Nigeria, such as:

Abaris Healthcare Pvt Ltd

Health Biotech Ltd

Kamataka Antibiotics & Pharmaceuticals Ltd (KAPL)

Zee Laboratories Ltd

...and many others.

This troubling overlap raises further concern about the integrity of some imported pharmaceutical products on Nigerian shelves.

Check your medicine cabinets: Look for Juhel Folic Acid 5mg x1000 tablets with Lot Number 0531.

Do not use them. Return them to the point of purchase or report to the nearest NAFDAC office.

Only purchase medicines from verified pharmacies and licensed suppliers.

Report suspicious medicines via NAFDAC’s official platforms.

This latest development is a stark reminder of the critical role regulation plays in protecting public health — and the importance of staying alert in an era where one faulty tablet can make all the difference.