Tobinco Pharmaceuticals Limited and their supplier, Bliss GVS Pharmaceuticals, an Indian company, have signed an undertaking not to import fake drugs onto the Ghanaian market after they formally apologised to the Food and Drugs Authority (FDA) for importing fake malaria medicines into the country.

The letters, dated September 26, 2013, was addressed to Dr. Stephen Opuni, Chief Executive of the FDA shortly after the Bureau of National Investigation (BNI) picked up the heads of the two companies for questioning over circumstances surrounding the importation of the drugs.

A press statement signed by the FDA boss, Dr. Opuni, admitted the receipt of the two separate letters from the chairman of Tobinco, Mr. Samuel Tobbin and the Managing Director of Bliss GVS Pharmaceuticals of India, Mr. Shibroar Kamath.

The drug, Gsunate Plus, was imported into Ghana by Tobinco Pharmaceuticals Ltd, and it is purported to be for the treatment of malaria in children by administration through the anus.

However, samples of the drug ware found to be fake after tests were conducted on them by the FDA.

The FDA further revealed that out of over 100 medicines imported and distributed by Tobinco,, only seven (7) had been approved by them.

The approved medicines are: Nifin 20-R Tablets, Slipizem 2.5mg Suppository, Slipizem 5mg Suppository, Lonart tablets, Lonart Forte Tablets Lonart Oral Suspension and Ciprotab Tablets.

The FDA has therefore cautioned the general public not to patronise medicines from Tobinco Pharmaceuticals Ltd and Bliss GVS Pharmaceuticals since there are doubts about their efficacy, safety and quality.

The FDA has also seized and destroyed large consignments of unregistered medicines imported by Tobinco from the Eastern, Ashanti, Volta and Upper West Regions.