The Medicines Control Authority of Zimbabwe (MCAZ) has warned the public, healthcare professionals, wholesalers, pharmacies, and healthcare institutions about the illegal distribution of falsified Cloxacillin capsules on the market, which it says pose a serious risk to public health.
In a statement issued on Friday, 25 July, MCAZ Director–General Richard Rukwata said that the counterfeit medicine has been traced back to Gartas Investments and differs from the genuine Cloxacillin product registered by Varichem Pharmaceuticals (Pvt) Ltd. He said:
The falsified product differs significantly from the genuine registered Cloxacillin manufactured by Varichem Pharmaceuticals (Pvt) Ltd.
The falsified version bears sharp-cornered brown labels, while the authentic Varichem product has rounded, orange-coloured labels.
Falsified capsules are unmarked, whereas the genuine capsules are clearly marked “V-CLOX 250.”
The authentic Cloxacillin containers are sealed with aluminium foil—a feature missing from the falsified product.
Rukwata warned that the use of such falsified medicine could lead to treatment failure in bacterial infections, potential harm from unknown ingredients, and an increase in antimicrobial resistance (AMR), a growing global health concern. He said:
The circulation of falsified medicines poses a serious threat to public health and patient safety due to the potential lack of efficacy, harmful components, and the risk of treatment failure in the treatment of bacterial diseases, leading to antimicrobial resistance (AMR).
The Authority would like to draw the attention of all licensed pharmacies, wholesalers, public and private clinics and hospitals that they should quarantine any units of the falsified Cloxacillin 250mg capsules.
Thereafter, these quarantined units must be submitted to the Authority for disposal by the 1st of August, 2025.
MCAZ continues to work closely with law enforcement agencies and supply chain stakeholders to identify and remove counterfeit medicines from the market.
The Authority remains committed to ensuring the safety, quality, and efficacy of all medicines available in Zimbabwe.
Leave a Reply Cancel reply