A senior official of the Food and Drugs Authority (FDA), Dr Martin Kusi, has urged Ghanaians to exercise caution when consuming beverages promoted with claims that they can treat or cure illnesses.
His comments come amid renewed attention on the sobolo associated with the founder and leader of Believers Worship Centre, Stephen Adom Kyei-Duah.
Speaking in a recent interview, Dr Kusi explained that Ghana’s regulatory framework makes a clear distinction between beverages intended for refreshment and products presented as medicines.
He said sobolo is ordinarily considered a beverage consumed for refreshment and to quench thirst. However, he noted that its classification changes when claims are made that it can cure, treat or prevent a disease.
According to the FDA official, products promoted for medicinal purposes must undergo the necessary scientific assessment and receive regulatory approval before they can legally be marketed with such claims.
He explained;
Once you say that this product can cure, treat or prevent a disease, then it is no longer just a beverage. It becomes a medicine
Dr Kusi warned that promoting a product as a treatment for illnesses without completing the required registration and evaluation process could constitute a breach of Ghana’s laws.