Why no herbal product has been approved for COVID-19 treatment- NAFDAC

The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) on Sunday explained why it has not approved any herbal product for the treatment of COVID-19 in Nigeria.

The NAFDAC Director-General, Prof. Moji Adeyeye, in a statement signed by the agency resident Media Consultant, Mr. Olusayo Akintola, in Abuja, said “no single drug has been found yet to cure COVID -19.”

She also warned Nigerians against excessive consumption of onions and garlic in a bid to cure COVID-19.

According to her, the medicinal products available now could only ease symptoms and increase chances of survival.

The NAFDAC chief warned Nigerian researchers and other herbal medicine practitioners to desist from parading unverified drugs for the virus.

She said any product without NAFDAC approval for the cure of COVID-19 is null and void.

Adeyeye said: “If it is not documented, it cannot be recognised by NAFDAC for COVID-19. They work on our cells to keep people healthier, but not to cure COVID-19. They help our body to function better. There is no cure for COVID-19 yet.

READ ALSO: NAFDAC approves three new COVID-19 vaccines to tackle third wave

“If you eat garlic and onion and you don’t use a face mask you will get COVID-19. If you are in a bad environment; if you don’t wash your hands, you will get COVID-19.

“Everything has to be put together. University of Jos said there was herbal medicine, whether it is tea or whatever that can cure COVID-19, they linked it with the treatment of COVID -19 and did the packaging.

‘’We did a letter to warn them that they cannot claim something unless it has gone through our listing process. They were trying to sell it to their staff. That is a violation of our own regulatory policies.

“Nobody should say that this one can cure this or that without going through NAFDAC listing process, the research into herbal medicine by the academia is normal.”

Join the conversation

Opinions

Support Ripples Nigeria, hold up solutions journalism

Balanced, fearless journalism driven by data comes at huge financial costs.

As a media platform, we hold leadership accountable and will not trade the right to press freedom and free speech for a piece of cake.

If you like what we do, and are ready to uphold solutions journalism, kindly donate to the Ripples Nigeria cause.

Your support would help to ensure that citizens and institutions continue to have free access to credible and reliable information for societal development.

Donate Now