FDA cautions public of expired malaria test kit on sale
The Food and Drugs Authority (FDA) has stated in a press statement that there is a sale of expired Malaria Rapid Diagnostic Test (RDT) on the market.
In the statement, the Authority has added that though the product has been approved, it has been tampered with by unknown individuals in the country.
The Authority has noted that some product information has toyed with and therefore the public should be conscious of the product.
The statement read, “The Food and Drugs Authority (FDA) wishes to alert the general public of an expired malaria Rapid Diagnostic Test (RDT) kit being offered for sale on the Ghanaian market. The FDA has investigated a complaint and established the fact that some persons have tampered with the product information on the said expired kit”.
It further read, “Though the said kit, SD Bio Line Malaria Test Kit, has been registered by the FDA, investigation has revealed that the following information has been used to re-label the expired product: Lot No.: 05CDC017A Mfg. Date: 2018-03-09 Exi:L Date: 2020-03-08 Code: B303D . In view of the recent experience with resistance of the malaria parasite to treatment, the current policy on treatment of malaria in Ghana requires that every suspected case of malaria is tested before treatment. It is therefore a dangerous situation to have a test for malaria using expired RDT kit, which would certainly produce a false result and may lead to inaccurate diagnosis. All healthcare professionals and facilities are to take note of the above and SHOULD NOT USE SUCH KITS, if they have them in their possession”.
The Authority has also advised that health officials who encounter the expired product in their facilities should dispose it.
“Additionally, healthcare professionals are reminded to notify the FDA of any expired products in their facilities for safe disposal. The FDA would like the general public to know that, it is taking steps to retrieve the said product from the market and also working with the security agencies to ensure the arrest of the culprits”.
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