The Food and Drugs Authority (FDA) expects the Police to gather sufficient evidence and initiate legal proceedings against individuals apprehended for selling unauthorised medications.
This follows a joint operation at an event called Porials Pitch, held on April 20 at the Accra Mall, where several exhibitors were caught selling beauty enhancement and other medications not authorised by the FDA.
According to Virgil Prah-Ashun, the Director of Enforcement at the FDA, the arrested individuals will face legal consequences once the investigation is completed.
“On Saturday morning, we went [to the exhibition] with police officers. We realised a lot of the products were not registered by the Authority.
“So with the help of the police, we arrested those organising the exhibition.”
“Then we took them to the central police station where the products were screened. Those who have registered their products were released earlier.
“Those not registered by the Authority are still being held by the police while investigations continue,” Mr Prah-Ashun said.
“We are relying on the police to build up the docket for prosecution,” he added.
Mr. Prah-Ashun expressed concern about the illegal marketing and sale of unauthorised medications on social media platforms, stating that the FDA will use all available resources to halt this unlawful practice.
The Public Health Act, Section 114 talks about approval from the FDA before advertising any regulated products (drugs, food, cosmetics and medical devices). But we see a lot of people on social media advertising all manner of things.”
“We have created a cyber-unit and we are monitoring and doing our best to apprehend those behind all these unapproved adverts.
“We are hoping that the cyber unit of the police will be able to reduce them drastica