FDB: Fake Malaria Drug On The Market

The Food and Drugs Board (FDB) has brought to the attention of the public the circulation of a counterfeit Artesunate Tablets on the Ghanaian Market.

Laboratory analyses conducted by the Food and Drugs Board on the product has revealed that it contains no active ingredient (Artesunate) therefore compromising its quality, safety and efficacy.

A statement issued in Accra last Friday, and signed by the Boards Chief Executive Officer, Dr. Stephen Opuni, said that counterfeit Artesunate Tablet with batch number 080504, had the manufacturers address as Guilin Pharmaceutical Co limited, No. 17 Shanghai Road, Guilin Guangxi, China,

The consumption of the product will therefore not provide any treatment of malaria, which can possibly result in serious complications and even death.

The Food and Drugs Board (FDB) in its quest to safeguard the health of the consuming public, conducts periodic market surveillance on selected samples of medicinal products on the Ghanaian market for quality monitoring.

It said: “The general public is therefore advised not to patronize the said Artesunate tablets and to report anyone found offering them for sale to the nearest FDB office or the Police.

It added: ‘This practice of selling counterfeit medicines is in contravention of section 12 of the Food and Drugs Law, PNDC Law 305B and its subsequent amendment Act 523, 1996, which states that:

“Where a standard has been prescribed for any drug…, any person who labels, packages, sells or advertises any substance in such a manner that it is likely to be mistaken for that drug…. Commits an offence….”

The Board pointed out that, any Wholesaler, Retailer, Pharmacy or Licensed Chemical Shop that has in stock these medicines “should immediately stop dispensing them and inform the Food and Drugs Board”.

. Additionally, the FDB assured the public of its readiness to ensure public health and safety at all times, and appealed to the general public to give any information on persons suspected to be in any practice possible of endangering public health and safety through any of the following contacts; 0244337235, 0208204968 or 0244385086.