Unbridled adverts on herbal products, FDA to prosecute Radio Stations

The Media have been advised against the unbridled advertising of herbal products and drugs without recourse to the provisions of the country’s food and drugs laws and regulations of medical devices (MDs).

“Media Houses must demand from their clients, either a soft or hard copy of the FDAs approval of their (clients’) adverts before running them. Anything contrary to this directive is an offence and offenders would therefore be prosecuted in the Court of law by the FDA”.

Mr. Joseph Yaw-Bernie Bennie, Head of MDs, Department of Food and Drugs Authority (FDA), gave the warning on Monday in Sunyani during a one day stakeholders meeting on MDs, funded by the Department for International Development (DFID) of the United Kingdom.

The workshop, on the theme “National Training on MDs Regulation in Ghana” was attended by more than 50 participants from health facilities and Municipal and District Health Directorates in the Brong-Ahafo Region.

It was the second in a nationwide regional meetings being organized by the FDA to educate and sensitize stakeholders about laws and regulations to ensure best practices on the procurement and sale of MDs. The first was held at Ho in the Volta Region.

Mr. Bennie emphasised that all herbal products “must be a registered and an approved product by the FDA before Media houses, especially the FM Radio Stations could run adverts on them”, implying that the Media Houses must liaise with the FDA to seek clearance before the advertising of any herbal preparation.

He said the FDA would soon embark on the prosecution of some Media Houses, particularly the private radio stations for non-compliance with the directive because the situation had led to the proliferation of fake and expired drugs and herbal products in the health delivery system, which is practically injurious to the health and well-being of the citizenry, Mr Bennie explained.