The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has raised an alarm over the recall of several multivitamin and iron supplements sold in the United States, warning that similar products may be in circulation in Nigeria.
In a public alert (No. 023/2025), on Friday, NAFDAC disclosed that the affected supplements, marketed under brands such as California Gold Nutrition and sold via major US retailers including Amazon, Walmart, and Target, pose a “risk of serious injury or death” if ingested by children due to inadequate child-resistant packaging.
“This recall was initiated after authorities in the United States discovered that the packaging of the supplements did not meet child-resistant standards,” the agency stated. “This poses a potentially fatal poisoning risk if young children access and swallow these products.”
The United States Consumer Product Safety Commission reported that approximately 60,000 units of iHerb/California Gold Nutrition supplements were affected, including Daily Prenatal Multi, Ultamins Women’s Multivitamin, and Ultamins Women’s 50+ Multivitamin.
According to health officials, even a small quantity of iron supplements can cause severe symptoms in young children such as vomiting, stomach pain, low blood pressure, bleeding, and liver damage. In some cases, ingestion can escalate rapidly to life-threatening conditions.
NAFDAC has instructed all zonal directors and state coordinators to commence surveillance and withdraw the products from circulation. Distributors, retailers, and healthcare professionals have also been urged to exercise heightened vigilance.
“All medical products must be obtained from authorised suppliers. The authenticity and physical condition of these products should be thoroughly checked before purchase or use,” NAFDAC warned.
The agency further encouraged healthcare professionals and the public to report any suspicion of substandard or falsified medical products to the nearest NAFDAC office or via its official platforms.
“This notice will also be shared with the WHO Global Surveillance and Monitoring System to support global vigilance efforts,” NAFDAC added.
For reports or concerns, the public can reach NAFDAC on 0800-162-3322, via email at sf.alert@nafdac.gov.ng, or through its online reporting channels.
