The Food and Drugs Authority (FDA) has asked businesses in the food and drug industry to desist from outdooring their products on the market before attempting to register with the Authority. The Authority said it was extremely concerned about the situation where business owners, especially herbal and orthodox medicine practitioners, sold their products on the market without prior approval by the Authority. This, according to the Authority, posed a danger to the health of the public. Mr John Laryea Oddai Tettey, Ashanti Regional Head of the FDA, made the call during an interaction with the media after an exercise to confiscate unapproved herbal and orthodox medicinal products with a street value of about GHc 850,000.00, during a swoop at Kejetia, in Kumasi. The joint operation by the FDA and personnel from the Ghana Police Service seized the items from a single retail shop after a swoop at Kejetia, which is seen as a hub for the sale of unregistered and unwholesome drug products. According Mr Tettey, Ghana had an approved point of entry for imported drug products, but occasionally some people manage to smuggle unapproved products, which could be injurious to the health of consumers. He expressed concern about the influx of unregistered and unwholesome medicinal products in the?markets without authorization by the FDA. He said the Authority had intensified its market surveillance and indicated that it was on a high alert to clamp down on illegal pharmaceuticals, which included body enhancement products at retail markets in the Ashanti region. Mr. Tettey advised the public to be careful of drugs they buy on the open market since it could be detrimental to their health. He also advised the people to visit the hospital to get proper diagnosis and prescriptions and purchased from licensed shops.

Source: Ghana News Agency