FDA cautions public against purchasing drugs from Tobinco

The Food and Drugs Authority (FDA) has cautioned the public against buying medicines from Tobinco Pharmaceuticals Limited and their supplier, Bliss GVS Pharmaceuticals, an Indian company, since there are doubts about the efficacy, safety and quality of some of the drugs from the two companies.

The warning follows a revelation that out of over 100 medicines imported and distributed by Tobinco, only seven had been approved by the FDA.

Tobinco and Bliss GVS have both written to apologise for the incident. They have also pledged, in two separate letters, against a recurrence of the unfortunate incident.

The letters, both dated September 26, 2013, was addressed to Dr. Stephen Opuni, Chief Executive of the FDA shortly after the Bureau of National Investigation (BNI) picked up the heads of the two companies for questioning over circumstances surrounding the importation of the drugs.

A press statement signed by the FDA boss, Dr. Opuni, admitted the receipt of the two separate letters from the chairman of Tobinco, Mr. Samuel Tobbin and the Managing Director of Bliss GVS Pharmaceuticals of India, Mr. Shibroar Kamath, adding that the two companies would be assisting with investigations.

One of the fake drugs, Gsunate Plus, was imported into Ghana by Tobinco Pharmaceuticals Ltd, and it is purported to be for the treatment of malaria in children by administration through the anus.

However, samples of the drug ware found to be fake after tests were conducted on them by the FDA.

The FDA have, however, revealed that drugs from Tobinco such as Nifin 20-R Tablets, Slipizem 2.5mg Suppository, Slipizem 5mg Suppository, Lonart tablets, Lonart Forte Tablets Lonart Oral Suspension and Ciprotab Tablets, have been approved and hence could be purchased.