The Food and Drugs Authority (FDA) has issued a strong response following a BBC Africa Eye investigative report that exposed the alleged trafficking of unapproved opioids into West Africa.
The report implicated Indian pharmaceutical company Aveo Pharmaceuticals and its distributor, Westfin International, in exporting drugs containing tapentadol and carisoprodol to Ghana, Nigeria, and Côte d’Ivoire.
In an official statement, the FDA clarified that it has never approved tapentadol or carisoprodol as single-ingredient drugs for medical use in Ghana.
Additionally, the fixed-dose combination product, Tafradol, which was mentioned in the BBC investigation, is not authorized for sale or importation.
The FDA assured the public that it has been actively combating the illegal opioid trade. Authorities have already intercepted and destroyed large shipments of unregistered drugs, including Tramadol, Trafanol, Tarapamol, and Tramaking.
In December 2023, a shipment containing over 300 cartons of opioid-based drugs was confiscated and destroyed following a court order. Similarly, a joint operation in May 2024 led to the seizure of 376 cartons of high-dose Tramadol hidden among laboratory equipment.
The regulatory body also announced immediate actions against companies linked to the illegal drug trade. Aveo Pharmaceuticals’ Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP) certificate has been suspended, and its business ties with Ghanaian importers, including Samos Pharma and Masters Pharmaceutical Limited, have been terminated. The FDA warned that violators of its drug regulations would face severe penalties, including prosecution.
The statement reiterated Ghana’s commitment to fighting opioid abuse, highlighting past interventions such as the 2018 ban on codeine-containing cough syrups and the classification of Tramadol as a controlled substance.
The FDA pledged continued collaboration with law enforcement agencies to protect public health and curb the spread of illicit opioids in the region.
