FDA accuses Tobinco of importing fake drugs

The  Food and Drugs Authority (FDA) says its post market surveillance exercises conducted on Wednesday has revealed that a variety of medicines imported into the country by Tobinco Pharmaceuticals Limited were yet to be approved by the authority.
A lot of the medicines already distributed onto the Ghanaian market also turned out to be fake and unregistered.

The identified medicines numbering over 100 were manufactured by BLISS GVS PHARMA Limited, located at 10 Dewan Udyog Nagar, Aliyali Palghar Maharashtra- 401, 404 India.

A statement issued and signed by the Chief Executive of FDA, Dr Stephen Opuni and copied to the Ghana News Agency said these fake and unregistered medicines had been supplied to regional medical stores, hospitals and pharmacies nationwide.

It said the medicines posed a serious threat to public health and safety since they had not been evaluated for their quality, safety and efficacy by the Authority.

The FDA has, in the meantime, detained all the fake and unregistered medicines found in the premises of Tobinco Pharmaceuticals and has directed that those already distributed be immediately recalled countrywide in order to protect public health and safety.

Out of the over 100 medicines imported and distributed by Tobinco Pharmaceuticals Limited, only seven have duly been given approval by the FDA.

The approved medicines are Nifin 20-R Tablets, Slipizem 2.5mg Suppository, Slipizem 5mg Suppository, Lonart tablets, Lonart Forte Tablets, Lonart Oral Suspension, and Ciprotab Tablets.

The statement advised regional medical stores, hospitals, clinics, pharmacies, licensed chemical sellers, maternity homes and other health facilities to avoid purchasing medicines imported by Tobinco and manufactured by BLISS GVS PHARMA Limited, which are not among the seven registered medicines for disbursement to the public.

It urged the listed facilities to hand over stocks of these medicines to the nearest FDA office for safe disposal.

Meanwhile, the importer, Tobinco Pharmaceutical Limited and the manufacturer, Bliss GVS Pharma Ltd of India were assisting the FDA to ensure a total recall of these fake and unregistered medicines from the market as well as health facilities nationwide.

Attempts by Graphiconline to speak with officials of Tobinco yielded no fruits as a lady who responded to our telephone call claimed all the officials were out of the country.