Media houses warned against advertising herbal medicine

Following complaints from the public, the National Drug Authority (NDA), which regulates drugs and ensures quality, safety and efficiency of human and veterinary medicine, has threatened court action on all media houses that carry adverts of drugs by quack herbalists.

Under the law, traditional herbalists are barred from running adverts claiming to cure diseases such as syphilis, gonorrhea, diabetes, heart disease, leprosy, epilepsy and cancer.

According to a communication by the NDA secretary, Donna Kusemererwa, the ban follows an investigation by the authority that revealed that several media houses (radio, television and newspapers) are allowing the herbalists to mislead the public by allowing them to advertise their ‘miracle' concoctions.

"It is a legal requirement that all drug-related adverts and promotions of whatever nature must receive prior naturalisation from NDA.

Broadcasting stations that advertise herbal medicine without obtaining evidence of NDA approval for the respective adverts are hereby warned to desist from this practice," said Kusemererwa.

Kusemererwa also noted that some people have opened up groups on social media, especially on Facebook, Whatsapp and Twitter to disseminate misleading herbal-drug related information.

"All drug-related adverts shall not through selection of testimonials or other evidence which is not representative of the products' effectiveness; make exaggerated claims that it possesses special quality which cannot be established. 

"Parading of patients and any form of act likely to violate patients' rights to privacy with or without consent is not acceptable," noted Fred Ssekyana, the NDA spokesperson.

Ssekyana also said that anybody found doing so would be arrested and prosecuted. The public is encouraged to forward complaints related to irrational herbal drugs advertisement.

"People have lost money and lives because they believe these adverts. Some of these herbalists are not even aware that it runs against the profession's ethics for them to advertise their services," said Hussein Kalyango, a physician at Nyango Medical Center.

Speaking to New Vision, Isa Kasumba, a herbalist said they will not stop advertising because NDA wants to promote western medicine at the expense of local medicinal products.

"Let NDA focus on closing pharmacies that sell expired.We have been using our medicine for the last 100 years so we know that it is good, cheap and effective," said Kasumba.