What is FDA Ghana? How to verify a registered product

What FDA Ghana is

FDA Ghana is the Food and Drugs Authority. It is established under Section 80 of the Public Health Act, 2012 (Act 851), and its functions are set out in Parts 6, 7 and 8 of that Act. Its head office is at No. 17 Indian Ocean Street, Nelson Mandela Avenue, Shiashie, Accra. It also has offices in the regions, in Tema and at Kotoka International Airport.

The FDA regulates human medicines, both allopathic and herbal, as well as veterinary medicines, food, biological products, medical devices, cosmetics, household chemical substances, clinical trials and tobacco products.

What FDA Ghana does

• Registers products
• Licenses facilities
• Issues import, export and food hygiene permits
• Inspects the market for products that do not meet its standards
• Monitors side effects of medicines
• Approves adverts for regulated products
• Investigates complaints and tests products
• Approves clinical trials and educates the public

In April 2020, the World Health Organization rated the FDA's medicines regulatory system at Maturity Level 3, after it met 267 WHO benchmarks. Graphic Online reported that Ghana was the second African country to reach that level, after Tanzania. Read more about Tanzania's regulator in TMDA Tanzania.

What to look for on the label

The FDA's Guideline on Labelling of Drugs, in force since 8 January 2024, says all products made in Ghana shall bear an FDA registration number. The same guideline requires:

• Printed, clear and legible text that does not fade in sunlight
• Product information in English, or an English translation
• The statement "keep out of the reach and sight of children"
• "For external use only" on products for external use
• The name and address of the actual manufacturer, for products made under a loan licence

For pre-packaged food, the FDA's labelling requirements list the product name, net weight or volume, ingredients, date of manufacture, best before or use by date, batch or lot number, country of origin, and the name and full address of the manufacturer or agent. Labels of food made in Ghana must also give the address of the factory, such as a Ghana Post digital address.

In 2022, the FDA's Director of Legal and Corporate Affairs told Joy Prime that the FDA registration number appears on all registered products. He advised people to look for the number on every product.

How to verify that a product is registered

1. Find the FDA registration number on the label. Write it down with the product name, manufacturer, batch number and expiry date.
2. Compare the batch number on the label with the one on the container itself. The two should match.
3. Read the FDA's latest news and alerts and search them for the product name.
4. If you are unsure, call the FDA on 0551112224 or 0551112225, or email [email protected]. Give the product name, the registration number and the batch number.

FDA alerts show what fakes in Ghana get wrong. In September 2026, the FDA said falsified Dr. Alfred capsules, sold on social media, carried made-up FDA registration numbers, Joy Online reported. Their batch numbers did not match between the label and the base of the container. The registered product is a food supplement made in Indonesia and registered in Ghana by Unateus Ghana Limited.

In April 2026, the FDA warned about falsified HIV test kits, Graphic Online reported. The fake kits, lot 0001586, named Omega Diagnostics Limited as the manufacturer and gave an August 2024 manufacturing date and a January 2027 expiry date. The genuine kits, lot 0002172, are made by AccuBio Limited. They were made in July 2025 and expire in November 2026.

A number on a label is not proof on its own. Fakes can carry a made-up number. Compare the manufacturer, the batch number and the dates as well.

For more signs, read how to identify fake drugs and batch numbers and expiry dates. Some companies protect their products with anti-counterfeiting methods. You can verify a product protected with Batach with your phone at batach.io/scan.

Find a licensed pharmacy: the Pharmacy Council

The Pharmacy Council regulates pharmacy in Ghana. It is established under the Health Professions Regulatory Bodies Act, 2013 (Act 857). It registers pharmacists and pharmacy technicians, and it licenses pharmacies and over-the-counter medicine sellers (OTCMS).

1. Open the Pharmacy Council's public search in your phone browser.
2. Search for the pharmacist, the pharmacy or the medicine seller by name.
3. Compare the result with the shop in front of you.

You can also call the Pharmacy Council on +233 302 680150 or email [email protected], Monday to Friday from 8 AM to 5 PM.

How to report a suspected fake

If the label does not match or something looks wrong, do not use the product. Keep it and your receipt. Then report it to the FDA:

• Call the FDA on 0551112224 or 0551112225.
• Call the FDA on 024 4310 297. The FDA lists this number for reporting side effects and other safety problems with medical products.
• Email [email protected].
• Take the product to the nearest FDA office. The contact page lists the address and phone number for each region.

If you had a side effect or another problem with a medical product, the FDA also takes reports through the Med Safety App, available on Google Play and the App Store. You can use the adverse reaction form at a health facility, or the BlueForm at community pharmacies that are designated Patient Safety Centres. More on this in how to report a fake product.