Chairman of the Tobinco Group of Companies, Dr Samuel Amo Tobbin, says that the Food and Drugs Authority (FDA) should regulate herbal medicines to ensure they meet the highest quality standards.

He explained that knowing the potency of herbal medicines, it is essential for them to be prescribed appropriately.

Dr Tobbin also raised concerns about how some herbal medicine sellers instruct patients to drink a cup of the medicine in the morning, afternoon, and evening.

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He said often, patients pour the medicine into a gallon and consume it without proper guidance, which can lead to serious health risks and in some cases death.

Speaking on JoyNews AM show, Dr Tobbin said that “it is killing a lot of people, destroying their liver and their kidneys. People come to my church to ‘support us to do dialysis’ and all that. All the kidneys diseases and things are being caused by this herbal preparation”.

On the back of this, the Tobinco Chairman urged the FDA to thoroughly assess the strength of these herbal drugs before they are released onto the market to prevent more fatalities.

He emphasised that such regulation would be highly beneficial, ensuring that people take the most effective drugs and maintain good health.

“So, if the FDA can support us in properly addressing this issue, particularly ensuring that the strength of the medicine is measured before it is dispensed, I believe it would be helpful.”