Public must expose counterfeiting to ensure safety

The Management of the Food and Drugs Authority (FDA) have appealed to the public to volunteer information on people who deal in counterfeit products to help eliminate the menace from the system.

The management made the appeal at a day’s forum with stakeholders and the media in Takoradi to solicit public views and work together to arrest the counterfeiting of drugs and food items.

Mr Peter Agyeman-Duah, Acting Deputy Chief Executive Officer (DCE) in charge of Monitoring/Evaluation, said the FDA is battling with the elimination of the unpatriotic practice that has assumed a global dimension and is posing a threat to public health and safety.

He said the public live with the dealers in the communities making them well placed to expose the dealers, and assured that their identity would be protected.

Mr Agyeman-Duah said drugs, food items and cosmetics are used by humans therefore anything fake about them could affect their health and safety and possibly leading to death, unlike the purchase of fake items like clothing where one suffers only financial loss.

Mr James Lartey, Head of Communications of the FDA said the Institution would soon start prosecuting media houses that advertise drugs and other items not certified by the FDA.

Mr Lartey said the illegal advertisement by the media encourages the counterfeiting and called for a halt to this before they are caught up with the law.

The Communication Head said the FDA has taken measures to check the practice, including the procuring of a device that identifies variations.

Mr Suamaila Abu, Western Regional Officer of the FDA called for the strengthening of security at the country’s borders and known unapproved routes to prevent importation of the fake items.

The participants made up of journalists, clearing agents, chemical sellers, pharmacists and other civil societies, noted that, allowing the items to enter the market before withdrawing them was not the best approach, as consumers would have started using them and the harm would have been done.