Venezuela issues health alert over counterfeit hypertension drug

Venezuelan health authorities have issued a critical alert regarding the circulation of counterfeit medication. The National Institute of Hygiene Rafael Rangel (INHRR) has identified falsified batches of Cander 16 mg, a drug used to treat hypertension.

The INHRR announced through Instagram that the identified counterfeit product, with the active ingredient candesartan cilexetilo and registered under number E.F. 37.347/21, bears the lot number 000768. These units have been confirmed as not originating from legitimate production records.

Laboratorios Valmor, C. A., the pharmaceutical company responsible for the authentic Cander medication, has clarified that it did not produce or commercialize the specific lot in question. Technical tests conducted on the detected product revealed a complete absence of the active ingredient, rendering it unfit for human consumption.

Furthermore, regulatory bodies observed significant flaws in both the primary and secondary packaging of the counterfeit drug. Discrepancies were also noted in the coding, as well as in the printed manufacturing and expiration dates. Health officials strongly advise the public to avoid purchasing or consuming this product and to seek immediate medical attention if any adverse effects are experienced after ingestion.