The Food and Drug Authority (FDA) has issued an urgent recall of all shipments of Beltocin and Vernetocin Injections (Oxytocin 10IU/ML) imported by Hills Pharmacy and Alpha Duo Pharma Ltd.
The Authority has detected differences in laboratory results for both Beltocin and Vernetocin (Oxytocin) injections at 10IU/ML concentrations through its quality monitoring efforts, with numerous batches failing to reach the stated quality criteria.
As a result, the Authority is formally urging that all healthcare facilities, medical shops, and pharmacies with any quantity of these medical items in their inventory immediately discontinue administration and arrange for their return to the appropriate producers and importers.
Meanwhile, the FDA’s Chief Executive Officer, Dr. Delese A. A. Darko, has urged for greater relationships between the FDA and industry actors in order to improve effective cooperation amongst stakeholders in the food and medical product research area.
Dr. Darko made this call at the FDA’s Scientific Forum, which was convened for the first time on Thursday, September 14 in Accra.
The forum, themed “Protecting Public Health and Safety Through Partnerships,” brought together academics, industry players, sister agencies, research institutions, and current and potential FDA collaborators to share knowledge for the general advancement of food and medical product safety, quality, and efficacy in Ghana.
The forum’s aims also included encouraging conversations about collaborating for success in local vaccine research, development, and manufacture.
“We are in a fast-paced scientific world and as a key player in the field of science in Ghana, our work requires close collaboration between the organization and higher learning institutions and industry players at the forefront of knowledge in research and development. As a regulator, we must regularly engage with such bodies to keep pace with our field. We put this forum together to provide a platform for active discussions on ensuring the quality and safety of food and medical products through effective collaboration.
“We will need even stronger partnerships for us to fulfill our mandate. Our aim is to strengthen the relationship between us and all the stakeholders whose work impacts food and medical products, so we learn from each other in order to improve the work we do for the benefit of the consumer” Dr Darko remarked.
