FDA educates clients on new Public Health Law

The Food and Drugs Authority (FDA) has begun a special training programme for its clients across the country on the Public Health Act 851 to ensure total compliance and prevent the sale of unwholesome goods.

Madam Akua Amartey, the Acting Deputy Chief Executive Officer, in charge of Medical Devices, Cosmetics and Household Chemicals Division of the FDA, said the Authority had observed that most clients who apply for registration of products failed to complete their application forms properly, hence the education on the new guidelines for filling them.

The training programme, which was funded by the Department of International Development, under the auspices of the United Kingdom Government, therefore, provides the opportunity for manufacturers, retailers and all clients of the FDA in Western and Central Regions to understand the law, passed in 2012.

She said the Authority had intensified its post surveillance activities to examine products released onto the market and entreated all buyers to be vigilant when purchasing any products.

He advised patrons to take note of the batch numbers, manufacturing date, expiry date and all other relevant information on the product before purchase.

She also urged Ghanaians to report manufacturers who failed to provide all the relevant information on their products to the Authority for the necessary action to be taken.

Mr. Emmanuel Nkrumah, Head of Department of the Cosmetic and Household Chemical Substance of FDA, took participants through registration guidelines, registration requirements, product labeling as well as the common deficiencies observed in the assessment of product application.

He said no person could manufacture, prepare, import, export, distribute, sell, supply or exhibit for sale a drug, herbal medicinal products, cosmetic, medical devices or household chemical substances, unless the article had been registered by the Authority.

He explained that the Authority reserved the right to cancel an approval of a product if the product was not made available onto the market after one year of registration.

He explained that any applicant whose application for registration of a product was disapproved could appeal within 6O days to the Authority, saying that could lead to approval of the registration or the rejection of the application.

Mr. Nkrumah said the Authority would continually monitor the safety of the products regulated under the new law by analysis of the adverse effect or event reports and any other means and take the appropriate regulatory action when necessary.