The Food and Drugs Authority (FDA) has disclosed that it is unlawful to advertise for cure of certain diseases in Ghana as the country’s laws prohibit that.
The FDA says the nature of some diseases make it impossible for them to be cured as the Authority has not approved any medication that can outrightly eradicate them.
The Director of Legal at the Food and Drugs Authority (FDA), William Kobla Agbavitor, who made the disclosure says persons who fall foul to the provision as enshrined in the constitution will be liable for prosecution.
He made the revelation at the maiden edition of Onua National Dialogue, with focus on Herbal and Traditional Medicine Advertising in Ghana on the theme; Working Together to Promote and not to Inhibit our Heritage, Friday, October 27, 2023, at the Executive Theatre of Media General in Accra.
He revealed that the fact that a product has been registered by the FDA does not mean it can be advertised unless it has satisfied the conditions in the Public Health Act.
“Section 114 of the Public Health Act 2012 says you can advertise your product but before that, you need to present the advert script to the Authority (FDA) for vetting and approval. So a whole committee will sit down and look at the product.
“In the course of advertisement, the person will come and say “it’s able to cure diabetes”, so that’s why it is our job to ensure that whatever he has claimed the product can do, which is specified on the label, that is exactly what you advertise.
“The section 114 says you can advertise your product but the schedule (5) lists some diseases that cannot be advertised that you have a cure for them and it’s quite a tall list of those diseases.
The question would then be why did the framers impose such a rule? The scientists say; when it comes to diabetes for instance, we have the fundamental stage and then we have Type 1 Type 2. Now if your advert says your medicine cures diabetes, is it the Type 1, Type 2 or which of them are you curing?” he elaborated.
“So we have the process of registration which is one; so you would have registered the product, we’ll give you the registration number that this product is registered by FDA but that doesn’t give you the power to go out there to advertise that product. Because registration is provided for under Section 118 of the Public Health Act,” he explained.
He continued that, “the law under 114 also indicate that before you advertise, you need to submit that advertisement for the approval of the Food and Drugs Authority. So they are two separate things.”
Meanwhile, the Ghana Federation of Traditional Medicine Practitioners Associations (GHAFTRAM) also urged the FDA not to renege on its responsibility of regulating traditional medical practice for a holistic effect.
“The role of the FDA and TMPC are both to protect lives. When we talk about regulation, it is to protect people who consume medicine as well as those that herbal medicine are applied on.
“We should be very firm to look at the regulations in order to protect lives. We should also not lose sight of that indigenous knowledge that has been used for ages.” President of GHAFTRAM, Prof. Samuel Ato Duncan, indicated.
READ ALSO: FDA approves R21 malaria vaccine; gives reasons Ghana was chosen to introduce jab
