FDA moves against misleading herbal labels

The Food and Drugs Authority (FDA) has issued a firm warning to producers of traditional and herbal medicines in Ghana to stop using misleading labels and making unverified health claims.

Many of these medicines claim to cure serious illnesses but often lack scientific backing or proper registration.

Recent research has highlighted worrying trends. A 2023 study by the Center for Plant Medicine Research found that fewer than half of 615 herbal products met quality control standards.

Another study, published in BMC Complementary Medicine and Therapies in June 2025, revealed that nearly half of 73 products assessed had no FDA registration certificates.

Over 40 percent failed to include information on side effects or contraindications, and about a quarter had no expiry dates at all.

Speaking on the issue, Effah Christopher Anane, Principal Regulatory Officer at the FDA, said: “Producers must ensure that the claims they make truly reflect the properties of their herbal or medicinal products. Anyone found breaking the Public Health Act 851 will face the full consequences of the law”.

The FDA’s action has received backing from some within the herbal industry. Bismark Nana Agyei, Regional President of the Ahaban Nduro Nkabom Kuo, and traditional doctor Al Hassan Appiah have both urged their peers to follow the rules.

This renewed crackdown is part of a wider effort to clean up the herbal medicine market and protect consumers by ensuring that all medicines sold in Ghana are safe, effective, and properly regulated.