FDA recalls franko herbal mixture, shuts down Ashanti factory over drug adulteration

• The FDA has ordered Franko Herbal Centre to recall its Franko Herbal Mixture within 14 days and shut down its Jacobu factory after detecting diazepam and paracetamol in the product.

• The Authority warns that the substances pose health risks, including respiratory depression, coma, death and severe liver damage.

• The FDA has warned of further sanctions, including criminal prosecution, for non-compliance and urged the public to stop using the product and report sellers.

The Food and Drugs Authority (FDA) has ordered Franko Herbal Centre to recall its Franko Herbal Mixture from the market within 14 days after laboratory tests detected diazepam and paracetamol in the product.

In a notice dated October 19, 2026, the Authority also announced the closure of the company's manufacturing factory at Jacobu in the Ashanti Region, warning that failure to comply with the directives could lead to further regulatory sanctions, including criminal prosecution.

The FDA said it would oversee the safe disposal of the recalled products and urged the public to stop purchasing and consuming the herbal mixture because of the potential health risks associated with the substances detected.

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According to the Authority, laboratory analysis established that Franko Herbal Mixture, which was registered as a herbal medicinal product containing Carica papaya, Alstonia boonei and Tetrapleura tetraptera, had been adulterated with diazepam and paracetamol.

Diazepam is a prescription-only medicine belonging to the benzodiazepine class. It is used to treat conditions including anxiety disorders, acute alcohol withdrawal, muscle spasms and certain types of seizures.

The FDA warned that diazepam can interact with other medicines, potentially increasing the risk of severe sedation, respiratory depression, coma and death.

It added that long-term use or abuse of the medicine can affect the central nervous system, with possible symptoms including confusion, forgetfulness, dizziness, fatigue, nightmares, hallucinations, impaired judgement and seizures.

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Paracetamol, meanwhile, is a medicine commonly used to relieve mild-to-moderate pain and reduce fever. The Authority warned that an overdose can cause severe liver damage and acute liver failure, which can be fatal if not treated promptly.

The FDA said the presence of the two pharmaceutical substances in a product registered as herbal medicine posed serious health and safety risks to consumers.

The Authority said the adulteration of herbal medicinal products is an offence under Section 111 of the Public Health Act, 2012 (Act 851), which prohibits the sale of adulterated herbal medicinal products.

It also noted that the law prohibits the manufacture, labelling, packaging, sale or advertisement of herbal medicinal products in ways that are false, misleading or deceptive about their character, quality, composition and other properties.

According to the FDA, Franko Herbal Mixture is registered as a herbal medicinal product and must not contain other drug substances.

The Authority has directed the company to withdraw the product from the market within 14 days and warned that failure to comply could result in additional sanctions, including criminal prosecution.

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The FDA has also urged retailers and distributors to comply with the recall directive and called on members of the public to report anyone selling Franko Herbal Mixture to the nearest FDA office.

It reiterated its warning that consumers should refrain from buying or using the product.