End exaggerated claims or face prosecution: FDA warns herbal medicine producers
End exaggerated claims or face prosecution: FDA warns herbal medicine producers.
The Food and Drugs Authority (FDA) has issued a stringent warning to traditional and herbal medicine producers in the country, demanding they immediately cease the use of exaggerated labels and unproven health claims.
This decisive action is a significant step to safeguard public health amidst growing concerns over the safety and efficacy of many locally sourced treatments.
The FDA’s caution is substantiated by alarming data indicating pervasive non-compliance within the sector.
A 2023 study by the Center for Plant Medicine Research found that less than 50% of 615 examined herbal products met established quality control standards, highlighting a massive gap in regulatory oversight.
Further research published in BMC Complementary Medicine and Therapies (June 2025) detailed serious regulatory gaps among 73 identified herbal products:
- 5% lacked an FDA registration certificate.
- 5% provided no information on unwanted effects and contraindications.
- 26% had no expiry dates listed.
These statistics underscore the growing problem of misleading claims, where products often promise to cure serious diseases without any scientific basis or regulatory approval, potentially exposing citizens to harmful, unregulated substances.
The FDA is now adopting a zero-tolerance stance, cautioning all individuals and entities against selling unapproved products.
Effah Christopher Anane, Principal Regulatory Officer at the FDA, emphasized the legal ramifications: “Producers are being urged to exercise due diligence in choosing proper indications that genuinely relate to the properties of their herbal or medicinal products. Any individual who contravenes the laws regarding food and drugs, specifically the Public Health Act 851, will be dealt with according to the law.”
The regulatory effort has garnered support from within the industry. Bismark Nana Agyei, Regional President of the Ahaban Nduro Nkabom Kuo (ANNK), and Al Hassan Appiah, a traditional Doctor, both publicly backed the FDA, urging colleagues operating outside the legal framework to comply with due process.
This move signals a decisive push to clean up the market and ensure that every medicine offered to Ghanaians meets the highest standards of safety and efficacy.
