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Herbal Manufacturers To Drag FDA To Court

By Ghana I Nhyira FM I Nana Yaw Gyimah
Health Herbal Manufacturers To Drag FDA To Court
MAY 25, 2018 LISTEN

Herbal Manufacturers Association of Ghana is threatening legal action against the Food and Drugs Authority over what it says is unfair treatment of its members.

The association accuse the authority of calling their products off the market without fair hearing despite persistent appeal.

It follows a public alert by the regulator cautioning people against purchasing of about six herbal products for alleged adulteration.

The FDA says the medicinal drugs have been lined with Sildenafil, a synthetic pharmaceutical ingredient of prescription-only-medicine (POM) for the treatment of erectile dysfunction.

Some affected manufacturers however say the authority’s refusal to consult them with its findings is unfair.

Herbal products cited in the adulteration scam include Vigoura Capsules, Osompa Natural Capsules, X Plus Men Power Bitter Syrup and Anidaso Goodman capsules.

Others are Laud P. Capsules and Time Natural Capsules, all of which have been ordered off the market by FDA.

Officials say taking sildenafil, and any other prescription-only-medicine, without advice of a medical practitioner may have serious and life threatening health implications.

Besides, the products have not been duly registered.

The Herbal Manufacturers Association of Ghana claims its investigations reveal one of the affected products has been duly registered.

Leaders of the association also dispute it contains sidenafil as being alleged by the authority.

They want the FDA to make its investigation finding on Time Natural Herbal Capsule public and further subject it to independent investigations.

Chairman of the Association, Solomon Kwabi, says the FDA is making attempts calculated to collapse businesses of herbal medicine manufacturers.

“They should bring the primary results let us go to the laboratory whether within the country or outside to check. This is affecting the integrity of the entire herbal fraternity, its collapsing Ghana industries and we believe this thing must stop. Herbal medicine happen to be part of agribusiness,” he said.

Meanwhile, the FDA in the Ashanti Region has admitted its publication suggesting the product is unregistered is wrong and has since been withdrawn.

Regional Director, Nora Narkie Terlabi, however says the authority however stands by its position it contains sildenafil.

“Our laboratory is an ISO certified laboratory therefore the results we release is internationally certified. We will not pick up on any client for any reason. We still stand by our findings, ” she added.

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