Alcohol advertisement scripts need FDA approval

The Food and Drugs Authority (FDA) says even if an alcoholic product has been registered with the Authority, it will need another level of approval if the manufacturer wants to advertise the product.

The FDA is therefore stressing that advertisement scripts written by agents of alcohol producing companies should first be vetted by the Authority before it is released to the media.

Head of Food Industrial Support Services Department of the FDA, Kofi Essel, explained on the Joy FM’s Super Morning Show Wednesday that “advertising [alcoholic beverages] in itself goes through another process where you apply to the FDA with a script of what you want to say about the product…this script is vetted”.

He insisted that an advertised alcoholic product approved by the FDA will never attribute to the product, sexual prowess or paint the picture that using alcohol enhances social well-being.

If consumers hear or watch an advert on any alcoholic product touting enhanced sexual performance, “I can tell you for a fact that advertisement has not gone through the FDA”, Kofi Essel swore.

The practice, he says the FDA finds worrying is that TV and radio presenters are sometimes too enthusiastic in promoting an alcoholic product and so add unapproved attributes during live presenter mentions.

The FDA is therefore encouraging media professionals to help deal with manufacturers of alcohol beverages who try to circumvent regulations by going straight to the media to promote their products.

"You are a media person and advertising company brings an advertisment, find out whether that product has been registered in the first place, find out whether the advertisement has been given approval by the FDA", Kofi Essel encouraged.

Kofi Essel explained the progress and constraints facing the FDA saying "day in day out, we are monitoring the airwaves.When you go to our offices now you have people sitting by televisions watching you have people listening to radio"

He believes the FDA cannot be the only institution concerned with dealing with unapproved alcohol beverages and an unapproved adverts and urged Ghanaians to help the state institution.

Story by Ghana|myjoyonline.com|Edwin Appiah|[email protected]