In its announcement released on October 27, 2021, Rwanda Food and Drugs Authority (Rwanda FDA) urged stakeholders involved in the business of regulated products that promoting, informing or advertising regulated products should be done after obtaining approval. The regulated products listed include human and veterinary drugs, human and animal vaccines, biological products used in clinical settings as drugs, processed food for humans and animals, food supplements, fortified foods, food fortification, poisonous substances, herbal medicines and medicated cosmetics. Other products include human and veterinary medical devices, tobacco and tobacco products, labels, packages, and raw materials used in the manufacture of regulated products as well as laboratory and cleaning chemicals and pesticides. According to the agency, all promotions and advertising materials of regulated products are screened and approved by Rwanda FDA before being put in use. The regulator urged media houses and practitioners such as radios, TVs, print media and online media outlets to desist from airing or publishing any promotional adverts of the regulated products from dealers who do not have official promotion or advertisement authorisation. Rwanda FDA also advised them as well as the public to voluntarily report to them any contraventions or defaulters of the laws and regulations related to the promotion of the regulated products. The owner of a business that promotes or advertises regulated products without Rwanda FDA’s approval shall be sanctioned with administrative fines that include warnings and money, said the Authority. Alex Gisagara, Head of Food and Drugs Inspection and Safety Monitoring Department at Rwanda FDA told The New Times that it had been observed that some people advertise regulated products uncaring if they were first approved. He said that whoever advertises any of the regulated products should have authorization so that they don’t provide false information to the public. “They should approach us to ask for approval and prove to us that their products are able to do what they say they can do before advertising them. We released this announcement to sensitise and remind them,” he said. The announcement also pointed out that the promotion activities include but are not limited to still mode of promotion, light and sound mode of promotion, web-based mode of promotion, promotional samples, promotional meetings, promotional campaigns as well as trade fair or exhibition.
