The Pharmacy and Medical Regulatory Authority (PMRA) is facing accusations of treating some herbal manufacturing companies unfairly in the vetting process of Complementary Medicines (TCM) media adverts.
In July this year, the Malawi Communications Regulatory Authority (Macra) and PMRA issued a directive that publication of any Traditional and Complementary Medicines media advert should be suspended and will resume after the adverts are vetted by the authorities.
After being successful in the TCM media adverts vetting process, some herbal manufacturing companies, resumed advertising for their products way back while several others including African Herbal Mixture are yet to be given a go ahead by the authorities.
Speaking in an interview with this publication, African Herbal Mixture Executive Director Joel Chirambo, questioned PMRA’s fairness and transparency in the regulatory process of TCM media adverts.
According to Chirambo, his company is very surprised that despite following all regulatory guidelines as required by law, the medicines authority is yet to give the company a go ahead citing an ongoing appeal that African Herbal Mixture had made before the Minister of Health on the matter.
“Earlier on, African Herbal Mixture had written the minister in appealing to be allowed to provide further details of services in the adverts at the back of a go ahead by the courts for the clinic to use some of the state of the art machines in its clinics nationwide.
“Surprisingly, the PMRA is standing on a different feet. For example, the regulatory body emphasizes specific regulations, such as avoiding content indicating superiority and prohibiting the advertisement of scanning and detox machines, conditions which African Herbal Mixture has, however, religiously followed in their recently submitted adverts,” worried Chirambo.
The Executive Director further said in the wake of the alleged block, the situation is leading to a cycle of problems including distorting operations of their company and putting at risk some Malawians who rely on products from the company.
Apart from that, Chirambo said this is directly against one of the ideas in the 2063 national agenda which promotes in high regard good and cross cutting health services and some youths are at risk of losing their jobs at African Herbal Mixture which he said is against government’s job creation move.
Meanwhile, African Herbal Mixture has through Chirambo called for transparency, speed and fair treatment in the ongoing regulatory process with an existing full commitment to follow all required regulations.
