Post-Market Surveillance of Selected Antibiotics at Retail Pharmacies in Abuja: Quality and Compliance Assessment

Post-market surveillance of pharmaceuticals is a regulatory function essential to confirming that medicines available to consumers continue to meet quality standards throughout their market life. In the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, the proliferation of retail pharmacies has increased medicine accessibility but also diversified supply chains, creating quality assurance challenges. This study conducted a post-market surveillance evaluation of four antibiotics (amoxicillin, ciprofloxacin, metronidazole, and azithromycin) obtained from fifty retail pharmacies in Abuja. Products were tested for identity, potency, dissolution, and packaging compliance using pharmacopoeial methods. Authentication of NAFDAC registration numbers was also performed. Of 200 collected samples (50 per antibiotic), 24% did not meet compendial potency specifications. Dissolution failures were recorded in 16% of tablet products. Four products were found to have expired NAFDAC registration numbers, and three showed evidence of repackaging. Azithromycin had the highest non-compliance rate at 32% across all quality parameters. Products sourced from unregistered distributors showed significantly higher failure rates compared to those from registered wholesalers. These findings indicate a concerning level of substandard antibiotics in the Abuja retail market and underscore the need for strengthened post-market surveillance infrastructure and enforcement capacity by NAFDAC. Keywords: post-market surveillance, antibiotics, retail pharmacies, Abuja, drug quality.