The Food and Drugs Authority (FDA) has issued a recall of the Franko Herbal Mixture, a registered herbal medicine, after laboratory analysis detected the presence of diazepam and paracetamol in the product. The recall must be completed within 14 days, and the FDA has closed the company’s manufacturing facility at Jacobu in the Ashanti Region, warning that non‑compliance could lead to further regulatory sanctions and criminal prosecution.
The FDA will oversee the safe disposal of all recalled products to ensure their complete removal from circulation and protect public health. The herbal mixture, which contains Carica papaya, Alstonei boonei and Tetrapleura tetraptera, was found to be adulterated with diazepam, a prescription-only benzodiazepine used for anxiety, alcohol withdrawal, muscle spasms and certain seizures, and paracetamol, a common pain and fever reliever.
The presence of these pharmaceutical substances in a product registered strictly as a herbal medicine violates regulatory requirements and poses serious health and safety risks. Diazepam can interact with other medicines, increasing the risk of severe sedation, respiratory depression, coma and death, while prolonged use or abuse can affect the central nervous system. Paracetamol, though widely used, can cause serious consequences if taken in excess. The FDA cautioned that consumers should avoid the product while the recall and enforcement measures are being implemented.
