Heat Exposure Reducing Effectiveness Of Medicines, NAFDAC Warns

 

 Director-General of the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), Professor Mojisola Christiana Adeyeye, has warned that rising temperatures and poor storage conditions are compromising the potency of medicines and contributing to treatment failures across the country.

Adeyeye, who was represented by the Director of Laboratory Services, Pharmacist Nkem Ifudu, spoke at the 3rd Institute for Advanced Medical Research and Training (IAMRAT) Day Celebration themed “Preserving Potency: Navigating Heat Stress in Medicine Distribution and Usage.”

The Director-General described heat stress as a major but often underestimated threat to medicine quality, citing commonly used antibiotics such as amoxicillin and

amoxicillin-clavulanate as examples of medicines that are highly sensitive to temperature fluctuations.

“Heat stress is a huge problem. Some medicines are so heat-sensitive that they begin to degrade rapidly when exposed to elevated temperatures. When such medicines are stored improperly and eventually used by patients, the result is often treatment failure,” she said.

She added that many healthcare providers may not immediately suspect medicine degradation as the cause of poor treatment outcomes because affected products often retain their physical appearance despite losing their therapeutic effectiveness.

The NAFDAC boss assured the agency remains committed to safeguarding public health through the regulation of the importation, exportation, distribution, sale and use of medicines, stressing that ensuring the quality, safety and efficacy of pharmaceutical products falls squarely within its mandate.

The NAFDAC boss urged members of the public to purchase medicines only from licensed pharmacies and authorised outlets, warning against patronising hawkers and open drug markets where proper storage conditions cannot be guaranteed.

She also encouraged consumers to read medicine labels and package inserts carefully to understand recommended storage conditions.

“The storage instructions provided by manufacturers are there for a reason. Patients should read the leaflet and ensure medicines are stored as directed. That is the only way to guarantee that the products will perform their intended purpose,” she advised.

Adeyeye further reiterated the agency’s commitment to combating the circulation of substandard medicines through improved enforcement activities, enhanced laboratory capacity and the introduction of medicine traceability initiatives designed to strengthen oversight of the pharmaceutical supply chain.

The Director-General also commended IAMRAT for organising the stakeholder engagement, describing public awareness and multi-sectoral collaboration as critical tools in the fight against medicine degradation and poor drug distribution practices.

She stressed that NAFDAC cannot address the challenge alone and called for stronger partnerships among academia, healthcare professionals, regulators, industry players and the public.

Provost, College of Medicine, University of Ibadan, Professor Temidayo Ogundiran in a remark, advocated for stronger measures against heat-induced medicine degradation, warning that the growing threat of heat stress is an often overlooked challenge that could undermine years of scientific research and public health investments.

Ogundiran, represented by the Sub-Dean of the College, Professor Taiwo Lawal, noted that climate change was no longer a distant projection but a present reality, evident in the increasing temperatures being experienced across the country, including during the rainy season.

He warned that degraded vaccines, unstable antibiotics and compromised medications often show no visible signs of deterioration, making it difficult for healthcare providers and patients to detect when their effectiveness has been lost.

Ogundiran urged researchers to generate evidence capable of shaping future standards and policies, while calling on regulatory agencies to intensify enforcement efforts aimed at safeguarding the quality and safety of medicines.

The Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria (PSN), Oyo State Branch, and the Association of Community Pharmacists of Nigeria (ACPN), Oyo State Branch, also called for stronger collaboration among healthcare stakeholders to safeguard medicine quality and public health in the face of increasing climate-related challenges.

Pharmacist Bayo Gbadamosi, who represented both professional bodies, said climate change has evolved beyond an environmental issue to become a significant public health concern with direct consequences for medicine quality, therapeutic effectiveness and patient safety.

Gbadamosi emphasised the critical role of community pharmacists in protecting medicine quality and promoting rational drug use, describing them as the most accessible healthcare professionals within communities.

“Community pharmacists remain strategically positioned to educate the public on proper medicine use and storage, ensure adherence to recommended standards, promote the rational use of medicines and collaborate with regulators and other stakeholders to strengthen the integrity of the pharmaceutical supply chain,” he said.