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FDA alerts public of dangerous fake health news
This comes on the back of concerns that many are currently using the rise of social media platforms to circulate what may be described as made-up health news online.
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According to the regulator, many of such stories are misleading and potentially dangerous.
Many have recently used the rise of social media platforms to circulate what may be described as made-up health news online.
Speaking to Pulse.com.gh, the Head of Communications at the FDA, James Lartey said the situation is worrying.
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“I think last week or last two weeks, there was a circulation of a ban of malarial products from the EU market. They listed about 42 medicines, and some of these things are not true. And it looks like because of the way the social media is being perceived, the moment something appears on it, a lot of people believe that is the gospel truth. When it does that, it creates panic, and it creates a whole lot of problems,” he said.
Mr Lartey said checks from the EU about the banned malarial products showed that nothing of that sort had occurred.
He added that “through our search, we found out that the thing emanated from a company in Nigeria. We don’t know the name of the company...so all these things create problems. We think the public need to be very careful about this.”
Plastic rice
The Food and Drugs Authority (FDA) in December 2016, asked members of the Ghanaian public to offer it with any relevant information regarding suspected plastic rice on the market for appropriate action to be taken.
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READ ALSO: FDA demands cooperation from Ghanaians
But Mr Lartey said three months on, the Authority is yet to receive a sample from the public, adding that what was particularly worrying was when “people picked particular samples and put on Whatsapp that they are plastic.”
The way forward
The FDA has, therefore, urged the public to confirm from its outfit about the veracity of any health news before sharing it on social media.
“If for instance, you see something on a social media platform, the best thing to do is to talk to the regulator and to go around circulating something that you don’t know whether it’s true or it’s not true,” he said.
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