Medicines watchdog to vet complementary remedies

All complementary medicines will have to undergo a strict vetting process by the MCAZ before approval to operate in Zimbabwe.
Responding to e-mailed questions from The Herald, MCAZ said this decision was precipitated by the fact that complementary medicines are now being offered as alternative therapy to conventional medicines, sometimes worsening a patient’s condition.
“The authority is working on comprehensive regulations for the approval of complementary medicines. It is the view of the authority that this will be an added layer affording protection to the public, once we have a defined system of authorisation of the products on the market,” said MCAZ’s acting director-general Ms Gugu Mahlangu.
Most of the companies are advertising their products not as complementary medicines but as health or nutritional supplements, which can be used as alternatives to conventional medicines.
Ms Mahlangu said MCAZ has not authorised any company to distribute any supplements in Zimbabwe and urged all those involved in distributing these products to approach the regulatory body for consideration.
“The majority of these companies are probably based in South Africa, where these products have apparently received the authorisation of the competent authorities there.
“These companies or any other party interested in marketing these products in Zimbabwe are free to approach the MCAZ for authority to distribute their products,” said Ms Mahlangu.
She said in determining whether to grant authorisation, the MCAZ examines the labelling of these products to ensure that they do not make unproven medicinal claims.
If they make medicinal claims, Ms Mahlangu said the companies will be required to prove these by submitting a full application for registration.
Of late, a number of unapproved advertisements have been appearing in the media with respect to complementary medicines.
Some of the messages carried in the advertisements include miraculous and or immediate healing, cure for HIV and Aids-related afflictions and other chronic illnesses. Some claim to treat several diseases all at once.
“The MCAZ is therefore warning the public against taking such unapproved and therefore illegal advertisements as a basis for using these remedies for the treatment of medical conditions.”
MCAZ said the adverts are fuelling cases of seriously ill patients breaking off from conventional treatment in the belief that these alternative therapies will heal them.
Zimbabwe is a high burden HIV and TB country with the two closely linked in co-infecting people diagnosed with either condition.
Lack of adherence for patients on TB treatment leads to development of the disease to multiple drug resistance form which is more difficult and expensive to treat.
MCAZ was previously only mandated to register orthodox medicines but because of the increase in the number of people turning to herbal treatments, they have now decided to regularise the use of these products.
At the moment there are no mechanisms in place to assist people who may suffer adverse reactions after taking complementary herbal medicines, yet products from different countries are flooding the market with some people even selling from their homes.