The Food and Drugs Authority (FDA) has issued a stern warning to producers of traditional and herbal medicines in Ghana, demanding an immediate end to the use of exaggerated labels and unproven health claims.
The move is a significant step to protect public health amid rising concerns over the safety and efficacy of many homegrown treatments.
The FDA’s caution comes in the wake of alarming data revealing widespread non-compliance in the traditional medicine sector.
A 2023 study examining 615 herbal products at the Centre for Plant Medicine Research found that less than 50% of herbal medicine met quality control standards, indicating that a significant number of producers are operating without proper oversight.
Further research published in BMC Complementary Medicine and Therapies in June 2025 highlighted serious regulatory gaps among 73 identified herbal products: 46.5% lacked an FDA registration certificate, 42.5% provided no information on unwanted effects and contraindications, 26% had no expiry dates listed.
These statistics underscore a growing concern over misleading health claims, with products often promising to cure serious diseases without scientific basis or regulatory approval, potentially exposing citizens to harmful, unregulated substances.
The FDA is now adopting a zero-tolerance stance, cautioning individuals and entities selling unapproved products.
Christopher Effah Anane, Principal Regulatory Officer at the FDA, stressed the need for due diligence:
“Producers are being urged to exercise due diligence in choosing proper indications that genuinely relate to the properties of their herbal or medicinal products. Any individual who contravenes the laws regarding food and drugs, specifically the Public Health Act 851, will be dealt with according to the law.”
While the warning signals a crackdown, some within the industry have publicly backed the FDA’s regulatory efforts.
Bismark Nana Agyei, Regional President of the Ahaban Nduro Nkabom Kuo (ANNK), and Al-Hassan Appiah, a traditional healer, both expressed their support, urging colleagues operating outside the legal framework to comply with due process.
This decisive move signals a significant push to clean up the market and ensure every medicine offered to Ghanaians meets the highest standards of safety and efficacy.
Renowned herbalist calls on Food and Drugs Authority to crackdown on fake herbal medicines
