The Food and Drugs Authority (FDA) has recalled all batches of COA FS food supplement from the Ghanaian market.
The Authority has also directed the public to return the product to its manufacturer, COA Herbal Center, after some samples of the product were found to be contaminated.
The FDA in a press statement dated April 17, and signed by its Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Delese A. A. Darko, said samples of COA FS picked from the market and the manufacturing facility in Wusorkrom near Cape Coast in the Central Region showed excessive microbial, mould and yeast contamination.
The samples were also found to contain Escherichia coli (E.Coli) which causes diarrhoea, gastroenteritis, abdominal pain, nausea and vomiting.
“In view of the above, those who are in possession of the product are being directed to return the product to the manufacturer, place of purchase or any of the FDA offices across the country.
Meanwhile, the manufacturer, COA Herbal Centre, has been directed by the FDA to recall the product from the Ghanaian market,” the statement said.
The statement added that exposure of children and older adults to E. Coli contamination can result in serious health implications like hemolytic uremic syndrome leading to kidney failures.
“Individuals with weakened immune systems (e.g HIV patients) can become seriously ill due to the ingestion of products contaminated with E. Coli,” the statement said.
The FDA further assured that its officers in the regions are working “to ensure that this contaminated product (COA FS) is removed from the market”.
It will be recalled that in March this year, the manufacturers of COA FS issued a disclaimer denying reports that the drug was a cure for COVID-19.
“We wish to state that COA FS is not a cure for Coronavirus, ” they said.
The Executive President of the Center, Professor Samuel Ato Duncan during the Press Conference however, appealed to the government and research institutions globally to subject COA FS to further research in order to ascertain its effectiveness against COVID-19.
This appeal arose because some infected COVID-19 patients in China claimed they recovered after using the COA FS Immune Booster”.
By Jamila Akweley Okertchiri