The Food and Drugs Authority (FDA) has seized 98 unregistered herbal medicinal products during a market surveillance operation carried out from November 22 to 24, 2025, at Awoshie and Boundary Road in Accra.
Among the confiscated items were well-known brands such as Amenazel Herbal Tonic, Amenazel Herbal Bitters, and Poget Herbal Mixture, all found on the market without the mandatory FDA approval.
The Authority noted that the exercise is part of ongoing nationwide efforts to safeguard public health by removing unapproved and potentially unsafe products from circulation.
The FDA also issued a strong warning to traders and manufacturers who continue to distribute unregistered herbal products, emphasising that enforcement actions will intensify in the coming weeks.
“To those selling unregistered products, we remain unwavering in our commitment to ensuring public health and safety. Sooner than you think, we will get to you,” the Authority cautioned.
All confiscated products are expected to undergo safe disposal in accordance with FDA procedures.
Earlier, the FDA withdrew the marketing authorisation of Omama Herbal Mixture after laboratory tests confirmed that the product was adulterated with prescription-only medicines.
A statement signed by the Acting Chief Executive Officer, Professor Kwabena Frimpong-Manso Opuni, explained that the action followed a market surveillance exercise conducted in collaboration with the Ghana Police Service.
Tests showed the mixture contained Diazepam, Metronidazole, Paracetamol and Niacinamide — conventional drugs prohibited in approved herbal products.
The FDA said Omama Herbal Mixture was registered solely as a herbal treatment for malaria and loss of appetite, but the unauthorised addition of those substances posed serious health dangers to consumers.
“The medicines found in Omama Herbal Mixture are dangerous when taken without prescription or advice from a qualified health professional,” the statement cautioned.
The Authority urged the public to immediately stop using or buying the product and noted that it is working with the manufacturer, Omama Herbal Group Limited, to recall affected batches for safe disposal.
