The Center of Awareness (COA) on Monday, emphasised that its product, the COA FS, is a food supplement and not for any therapeutic purposes, neither is it a replacement for Anti-Retroviral Therapy (ATR).

A statement issued in Accra by COA said the product was registered by the Food and Drugs Authority (FDA) “as a food supplement and has been on sale as a food supplement, which boosts the immune system.

“It is also expected to enhance the general wellbeing of its users.”

The statement signed by Nii Addokwei Moffatt, for the Executive President of COA, is in reaction to recent media reports that the COA FS was being advertised by the Company as a replacement for Anti-Retroviral Therapy (ATR), for which the FDA was not happy with.

“COA FS is produced in the Central Region in Ghana, and for the past few years has helped several people to enhance their health status in various ways.

“Many have touted its positive attributes and have recommended it to friends and relatives.

“There is only one advertisement approved by the FDA, which is played on two programmes namely; “The Miser”, shown on GTV and the R&L Show on Joy Prime TV Station, featuring the actor Kwame Djokoto and a lady.

“The COA FS is described only as an immune booster and not a cure for HIV/AIDS in the advertisement,” the statement said.

The statement added that, however, it was likely that due to its efficacy, some peddlers of the food supplement were unfortunately misinforming the public by stating that it was a cure for HIV/AIDS.

“We have no doubt that an over-zealous member of staff or agent might have given a wrong impression that the COA FS has therapeutic ability; but at no time has the Center deliberately, officially or otherwise informed the public that the COA FS could be used for therapeutic purposes,” it stated.

The statement added that indeed the Center had always advised users to use COA FS along other medication because it was a food supplement.

It stated: “We also approached the Regional AIDS Commission (RAC) in the Eastern Region when we discovered that letters had been written to health facilities in the Region to stop the sale of our product at those health facilities.

“In addition, when we were informed that there was an erroneous impression that COA FS is being peddled as a cure for HIV/AIDS, we agreed in good faith to work with the RAC to reverse that wrong impression given about the supplement.”

The statement emphasized, therefore, that, the COA FS with registration number FDB/HD. 16-9248, “ is a food supplement that assists in the general wellbeing of users and is not a cure for HIV/AIDS or a replacement for ARTs”.