FDA launches Code of Practice on sale of medical products

The Foods and Drugs Authority (FDA-Ghana) Tuesday launched a Code of Practice to guide the procedure and requirements for the sale, marketing and promotion of medical products to protect patients.

The Code is to ensure that the promotion of medicines is guided by Ethics and devoid of practices that may influence healthcare practitioners and the public to unduly choose and use certain products or merchandise over others at their expense.

The Code will also ensure that accurate information is always provided to healthcare practitioners and the public for patient safety.

Dr Mrs Martha Gyansa-Lutterodt, the Director of Technical Coordination at the Ministry of Health, performed the launch on behalf of Mr Kwaku Agyeman-Manu, the Minister of Health.

In a speech read on his behalf, the Minister urged health care practitioners, with their Associations, to adhere strictly to the Code towards improving the health sector.

He asked the Health Facilities Regulatory Agency to incorporate some of the tenets of the Code into its accreditation and credentialing criteria to ensure a successful implementation.

The launch, of the Code, he said, was apt because it would assist practitioners to adhere to strict standards that would support the operations of the Authority.

The ceremony, organised by the FDA with the Association of Representative of Ethical Pharmaceutical Industries (AREPI), brought major stakeholders who jointly pledged to comply and cooperate with the FDA to ensure public safety.

Mrs Delese Darko, the Chief Executive Officer of the FDA, said the Code was promulgated based on section 148 of the Public Health Act, 2012 (Act 851) for information, guidance and strict compliance by all concerned.

The Authority, she said, was fully aware of the expensive nature of developing, manufacturing and the sale of medical products and devices.

However, the health and safety of the consumer could not be compromised for any other reason.

Mrs Darko said the Authority would invoke the punitive measures of the law against marketers and sales persons of medical products who would adopt unconventional approaches.

Mr Joseph Yaw-Bernnie Bennie, the Head of Medical Devices Department at the FDA, said the Authority was not against the making of profits but unethical practices.

Offenders would, therefore, be dealt in line with the provisions of Section 129(7) of the Public Health Act, 2012 (Act 851).

Hence, those convicted would be liable to a fine of not less than 7,500 penalty units, of which, he said, was GH¢12; or serve not less than 15years of in prison or both.