FDA engages Ashanti media over unregistered product ads

A group photograph of FDA officials with morning show hosts and news editors in the Ashanti Region after the sensitization forum on advertisements.

The Food and Drugs Authority (FDA) has intensified its crackdown on the promotion of unapproved goods, cautioning media houses that they share legal responsibility for the products they help market.

The Ashanti Regional Director of the FDA, Nathaniel Nana Nkrumah, issued this directive during an intensive seminar on advertising guidelines held on Wednesday.

The session, specifically curated for morning show hosts and news editors, aimed to bridge the gap between commercial interests and public safety.

The Legal Reality:

Mr. Nkrumah clarified a common misconception in the media industry that the responsibility for a product’s legality rests solely with the manufacturer.

Under current national regulations, media organizations that broadcast or publish advertisements for unregistered products are jointly and severally liable.

“Any media outfit that violates these guidelines will face punitive sanctions. Ignorance of the product’s registration status is not a legal defense,” Nana Nkrumah stated.

Expanded Regulatory Framework:

The seminar detailed several critical pillars of the Public Health Act, which governs how food and drugs reach the Ghanaian consumer:

Mandatory Pre-Approval:

It is a criminal offense to advertise any food or medicinal product that has not been formally registered with the FDA.

The “Variation” Trap:

A product that was once approved can become “unregistered” in the eyes of the law if the manufacturer changes the ingredients, packaging, or dosage without notifying the FDA.

Media houses must verify that the specific version of the product they are promoting is currently valid.

Food Service Protocols:

Restaurants and food service establishments are not exempt.

Their promotional materials must be vetted by the Authority to ensure they do not make unsubstantiated health claims.

Shifting from Hype to Ethics:

Beyond the paperwork, the FDA is pushing for a shift in the tone of Ghanaian advertising.

Mr. Nkrumah urged media practitioners to move away from “miracle cure” narratives and focus on information symmetry.

To remain ethical, advertisements must:

Encourage Rational Use:

Avoid language that suggests a drug should be used daily or excessively without medical need.

Risk-Benefit Transparency:

Ensure that consumers are informed of potential side effects or contraindications, not just the benefits.

Support National Health Goals:

Align messaging with the broader objective of safe, regulated consumption.

Institutional Collaboration:

The Ashanti Regional Chairman of the Ghana Journalists Association (GJA), Mr. Kofi Adu Domfeh, welcomed the initiative.

He noted that the media often falls into regulatory traps simply due to a lack of specialized knowledge.

Mr. Domfeh praised the FDA’s proactive approach, suggesting that other state agencies should adopt similar educational models.

“By empowering journalists with the facts, regulatory bodies can turn the media into a powerful ally for public sensitization rather than a conduit for misinformation”, Mr Domfeh stated.

Source: Ghana/otecfmghana.com/ Michael Ofosu-Afriyie, Kumasi