Oluwatobi Adu 
ABUJA, Nigeria – The World Health Organization (WHO) has issued an urgent global alert after counterfeit batches of the cancer medicine DARZALEX were discovered in hospitals in Maldives and Mexico, warning that the falsified products could endanger patients and compromise medicine supply chains.
In a Medical Product Alert released on Friday, WHO said the falsified medicine mimics DARZALEX, a prescription injectable used to treat multiple myeloma and amyloid light-chain (AL) amyloidosis.
The agency warned that the counterfeit products carry the batch numbers MYS7381 and STV1K01, which manufacturer Janssen has confirmed are invalid.
“Any DARZALEX product with these batch numbers should be considered falsified and not used,” WHO said.
WHO disclosed that one counterfeit batch recovered in the Maldives contained visible particulate matter inside the vial, an indication of possible contamination that could expose patients to severe infections, injection-related complications or other serious health risks.
The organisation said laboratory analysis has not yet been conducted on the fake medicines, meaning their actual contents remain unknown.
“Prompt detection and removal of these products from the supply chain is essential to prevent patient harm,” the agency warned.
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Korede Abdullah 
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