FDA engages herbal medicine producers on best practices

The Food and Drugs Authority (FDA) in the Ashanti Region, has engaged herbal medicine producers in the region on the need to adhere to best practices in order not to endanger the health of consumers of their products.

The exercise formed part of efforts by the Authority to sanitise the industry while addressing the danger that their activities posed to public health and safety.

Participants were taken through good manufacturing practices, requirements for the registration of herbal products, labelling, advertising as well as the food and drugs laws.

The engagement turned out to be an eye-opener for most of the participants who were not even aware of their obligation to register their products.

They openly expressed their excitement about what they had learnt and how it was going to improve their product quality and visibility.

They consequently pledged their commitment to adhere to best practices and register their products with the FDA to ensure public safety and enhance the credibility of their products.

Mr. Isaac Aviah, a Senior Regulatory Officer of the FDA said good manufacturing practices were the totality of all activities and processes that one embarked upon in the production process to ensure that the outcome of the product was safe, efficacious, and of good quality.

He said good manufacturing practices ensured that products were consistently produced and controlled according to quality standards.

He advised the participants to ensure adequate and separate rooms were designated for production activities such as raw materials storage, production, finished product storage, changing room as well as toilet and bath.

Production facilities, according to him, must have enough space to allow free movement of workers and production materials.

Mrs. Abena Agyapoma Asiama, a Principal Regulatory Officer who took the participants through labelling of products, said names on products must not be offensive, unethical, and socially or traditionally unacceptable.

“The name of the product must not bear resemblance in spelling and pronunciation to an already registered product,” she told the participants.

Manufacturing premises including landmarks, she noted, must be stated on the product label to ensure the easy location of the business.

Dr. Abigail Attah, said the Food and Drug Law 1992 and its amendment ACT 523, 1996 had been replaced by Act 851, Public Health Act, 2012 which established the FDA.

She said the Act mandated the FDA to regulate the use or consumption of food, drugs, cosmetics, medical devices, and other household chemical substances.