The Minister for Health, Kwabena Mintah Akandoh, has declared that tapentadol is not approved for medical use in Ghana, warning that the sale, distribution and possession of the drug, including the street drug known as “red”, are illegal.

Responding to questions in Parliament, the Minister said the Food and Drugs Authority (FDA) has not registered any pharmaceutical product containing tapentadol, either on its own or in combination with other active ingredients.

“Presently, the FDA has not registered any pharmaceutical product containing tapentadol either alone or in combination with other active ingredients for medical use in Ghana,” Mr Akandoh told the House.

He explained that tapentadol is not included on Ghana’s Essential Medicines List or in any national treatment guidelines, making its importation, distribution and use unlawful.

“Tapentadol and tapentadol-containing products are not in the Essential Medicines List, neither are they in any of our treatment guidelines. Consequently, the sale, distribution or possession of such products is illegal,” he stated.

The Minister also warned against the circulation of “red”, a street drug made from a mixture of tapentadol and cough syrup, describing it as an illicit substance that poses serious public health risks.

“I state, it’s unapproved, it’s unregistered and it’s not part of our treatment guidelines, and so any importation of such drug is illegal,” he added.

Mr Akandoh said the FDA, in collaboration with the Pharmacy Council, has intensified routine inspections and surveillance at retail and wholesale pharmacy outlets to detect and remove unregistered opioid products from the market.

According to him, the exercise is intended to ensure that controlled medicines are supplied only in accordance with approved regulations, thereby reducing the risk of diversion and unauthorised access.

The Health Minister further disclosed that the Ministry of Health, through the Ghana Health Service and other stakeholders, is stepping up public education on the dangers associated with the misuse of illicit opioids, including tapentadol.

He added that the FDA has continued to seize unregistered opioid products as part of efforts to curb their sale and protect public health.