FDA Warns Against Bleaching Pills

The Food and Drugs Authority (FDA) has expressed worry about the incessant use of pills and tablets among some Ghanaians to lighten their skins.

Emmanuel Nkrumah, Head of Cosmetics and Household Chemical of the FDA, who was speaking at a press conference in Takoradi said “The Doctors are also worried about this new craze among some of the citizenry to swallow cosmetics pills and tablets in the name of getting an even or all-round form of bleaching”.

He described the practice as “unfortunate and learning blindly” from other cultures with its resultant negative effect on the black skin.

Mr. Nkrumah said the use of the cosmetics tend to stop the production of Melanie which protects the black skin from the sun’s harmful race and advised against such forms of bleaching agents.

Effect of bleaching pills

Bleaching according to him, continued to introduce its victims to lots of diseases such as diabetes, cancers, liver and kidney problems, body odour and hypertension among others and did not understand why men and woman would spend money to contract diseases.

Mr Nkrumah said the Food and Drugs Authority had not approved of these tablets and pills currently circulating in the country adding, “Even no cosmetic can be taken orally with the exception of toothpaste and mouth wash”.

He said though surveillance at the market revealed that such tablets and pills were not on the markets, doctors and health workers continued to report to the Authority from patients with adverse effects of the new pills and tablets.

“We are now liaising with the security agencies to enable us trace the sources of these pills and tablets and we urge consumers of these cosmetic products to also stop the practice with immediate effect”, he added.