Tanzania firm buying pregnant women's urine for 'drugs' under probe

The Tanzania Medicines and Drugs Authority (TMDA) has said it does not recognize and has never registered Polai (Tz) Co Ltd, a company that collects pregnant women’s urine, saying they use the urine to manufacture pharmaceutical products.

Speaking to The Citizen the director of medicines and medical equipment from TMDA, Akida Khea said the authority does not recognize the company and it is the first time they have heard that someone is collecting pregnant women’s urine for pharmaceutical use.

He said they are aware that urine from pregnant women have hormones that can be used to make drugs, but they have never heard of the method being used by Polai.

"In order to establish the truth, we have instructed the manager of TMDA Eastern region to immediately start monitoring the matter closely,” said Khea.

"Once we have completed and confirmed what they are doing we will provide information and explain what course of action we will take in accordance with the law," added Khea.

Doctors who were interviewed said there was no evidence that pregnant urine could be used to treat human ailments as claimed by the company.

Doctors interviewed by The Citizen said the urine is used to indicate pregnancy, the development of the baby in the womb, its growth and weight at birth.

It is also used to show if a person has urinary infection, other infectious diseases and to show the menstrual cycle in women.

The Citizen on Saturday reported on a 14-day investigation that revealed that the collection of pregnant women urine was being done in great secrecy in the city after some women were persuaded.