- FDA flags unregistered contraceptive pill
- Safety concerns over Postinor 2 variant
- Accredited outlets urged for pharmaceutical purchases
The Upper East Regional Office of the Food and Drugs Authority (FDA) has issued a warning regarding a type of Postinor 2 with a pink flower label, stating that it is not registered with the Authority. Mr. Abel Ndego, the Principal Regulatory Officer, emphasized the importance of this issue, stating, “Postinor 2 is a drug we are all familiar with, and we know it is something we use for preventing pregnancies, but this particular one with the pink flower has not been registered by the FDA.”
Mr. Ndego explained that because the product is not registered, the FDA cannot guarantee its safety or efficacy, as it has not undergone the necessary evaluation process. “We have also undertaken quality product monitoring of this particular product, and we have noticed that the Active Pharmaceutical Ingredient that should instigate the ability of the product to prevent pregnancy is not at the required value. And so once you use it, you would not get the needed pharmaceutical implication,” he said during his address at the Regional launch of the Goodlife Health Fair in Bolgatanga.
The three-day fair was organized by the Regional Health Directorate in partnership with the Northern Sector Action on Awareness Centre (NORSAAC), a consortium partner under the USAID Accelerating Social and Behavior Change (ASBC) activity. The event aimed to promote health and wellness among the public, focusing on encouraging behavior change and improving access to essential healthcare services, under the theme: “Promoting good health through uptake of positive health behaviour.”
Mr. Ndego urged the public to purchase pharmaceutical products only from accredited and licensed pharmacies, as this ensures the purchase of registered products stored under appropriate conditions. “This way, you are sure that you are buying registered products and the products are stored under the requisite storage conditions,” he advised.
He highlighted the critical link between storage and medication efficacy, stating, “Storage affects medicine efficacy very seriously. We have medicines that are supposed to be in cool chain. They should be refrigerated.” Mr. Ndego pointed out that many individuals improperly store syrup medications for children on kitchen shelves instead of in refrigerators, which can compromise the effectiveness of the medicine due to temperature fluctuations.
During the fair, Mr. Ndego, along with FDA officials, displayed unregulated pharmaceutical products to raise awareness and educate attendees about the dangers associated with such items. He noted the prevalence of products in the market claiming to cure various ailments, cautioning against their use. “Even the packaging alone will tell you that this has not been approved by the FDA, because we would not allow this kind of obscene pictures on a product,” he said, referencing a specific unregistered product featuring inappropriate imagery.
He concluded with a stern warning: “But these are products that you would be surprised at the caliber of people who are purchasing them in the name of strengthening and elongating their organs. These have very dire health consequences on us.”
