The Food and Drugs Authority (FDA) has announced a recall of the food supplement, COA FS and directed the public to return the product to the manufacturer after some samples of the product were found to be contaminated.

The FDA in a press statement dated April 17, 2020 and signed by its Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Mrs Delese A. A. Darko said samples of COA FS picked from the market and the manufacturing facility of COA Herbal Centre in Workroom near Cape Coast I. The Central Region showed excessive microbial, mould and yeast contamination.

The samples were also found to contain Escherichia coli (E.Coli) which causes diarrhoea, gastroenteritis, abdominal pain, nausea and vomiting.

"In view of the above, those who are in possession of the product are being directed to return the product to the manufacturer, place of purchase or any of the FDA offices across the country," the statement said.

"Meanwhile, the manufacturer, COA Herbal Centre, has been directed by the FDA to recall the product from the Ghanaian market".

The statement added that exposure of children and older adults to E. Coli contamination can result in serious health implications like hemolytic uremic syndrome leading to kidney failures.

"Individuals with weakened immune systems (e.g HIV patients) can become seriously ill due to the ingestion of products contaminated with E. Coli," the statement said.

"In view of the above, those who are in possession of the product are being directed to return the product to the manufacturer, place of purchase or any of the FDA offices across the country

"Meanwhile, the manufacturer, COA Herbal Centre, has been directed by the FDA to recall the product from the Ghanaian market".

The FDA further assured that its officers in the regions are working "to ensure that this contaminated product (COA FS) is removed from the market".

COA FS COVID-19 trials

Earlier in April 2020, the Director of the Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research (NMIMR), Prof Abraham Kwabena Anang disclosed that the institute had commenced clinical trials on COA FS for possible export.

He said the COA FS was one of the most important food supplements in Ghana which fortunately the government has asked the Ghana AIDS Commission to provide a platform to ensure that it was properly tested and assessed.

Prof Anang made the confirmation when two Chinese manufacturing companies, Sunda International Group Limited and Keda Ghana Limited presented a truckload of detergents to the Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research (NMIMR) in Accra.

COA FS disclaimer

It will be recalled that in March, the manufacturers of COA FS issued a disclaimer denying media reports that the drug was a cure for COVID-19.

"We wish to state that COA FS is not a cure for Coronavirus. Also, during the recent press conference, neither Professor Samuel Ato Duncan nor any other speaker alluded to the fact that COA FS is a cure for Coronavirus," the disclaimer read.

"The Center of Awareness Global Peace Mission (COA GPM) therefore disassociates itself from such publications. To set the record straight, The Executive President of the Center, Professor Samuel Ato Duncan during the Press Conference appealed to the government and research institutions globally to subject COA FS to further research in order to ascertain its effectiveness against COVID-19. This appeal arose because some infected COVID-19 patients in China claimed they recovered after using the COA FS Immune Booster".