The Lower Eastern Times Opening The Third Eye
The Pharmacy and Poisons Board (PPB) has issued an urgent warning over a counterfeit batch of Postinor-2 emergency contraceptive pills that has reportedly entered the Kenyan market.
The regulator said the falsified medicine, identified by batch number T34197R, poses potential health risks and may fail to provide the intended protection against pregnancy.
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In an alert issued on Friday, August 14, 2026, PPB said the counterfeit product was detected through routine post-market surveillance.
The fake Postinor-2 is labelled as though it was manufactured by Gedeon Richter Plc, a European pharmaceutical company. However, PPB confirmed that the company did not manufacture or release the affected batch.
Two people have reportedly been arrested over the distribution of the counterfeit medicine as authorities continue investigating its supply chain and how it entered the country.
Fake Pills May Contain Harmful Substances
PPB warned that counterfeit medicines can contain incorrect quantities of the active ingredient, contain no active ingredient or be contaminated with potentially harmful substances.
As a result, people who use the affected Postinor-2 may not receive the expected therapeutic effect.
The regulator compared samples of the suspected counterfeit product with genuine Postinor-2 supplied by Gedeon Richter and identified several differences in the packaging.
How to Identify the Counterfeit Postinor-2
According to PPB, members of the public and healthcare providers should look out for several features:
- Packaging seal: Genuine Postinor-2 boxes have a distinct hot-melt sealing system, unlike the counterfeit packaging.
- Colour: The orange lettering and branding on the fake product are noticeably darker or more intense than those on genuine packs.
- Printing mistakes: The Patient Information Leaflet contains several spelling, printing and layout inconsistencies.
- Batch number: There are differences in how the batch number is printed or stamped on the outer packaging.
- Authentication panel: The lettering revealed under the scratch-off verification section differs from that found on genuine products.
Pharmacies and Hospitals Urged to Check Stock
PPB has directed pharmacists, healthcare workers and administrators of health facilities to inspect stocks of levonorgestrel 0.75 mg products.
Any products bearing batch number T34197R should be immediately isolated and reported to the regulator.
The board also reminded pharmaceutical suppliers and consumers to obtain medicines only from licensed and authorised outlets.
It warned that dealing in medicines obtained through unauthorised channels is prohibited under the Pharmacy and Poisons Act and that those involved in distributing counterfeit medical products may face legal action.
What Consumers Should Do
Anyone who believes they have purchased or may have used the affected batch has been advised to stop using the product and seek advice from a qualified healthcare professional.
PPB urged the public to remain vigilant and report suspected counterfeit medicines to the relevant authorities as investigations into the distribution network continue.
