The Food and Drugs Authority (FDA) and Pharmacy Council (PC) have asked the public to beware of fake and substandard Hydrogen peroxide on the market.

A joint statement by the FDA and PC in Accra, noted that there had been shortage of hydrogen peroxide in pharmaceutical facilities due to panic buying.

A new research report indicated that the use of hydrogen peroxide had proven to provide immediate protection against COVID-19.

According to the study, a hydrogen peroxide mouthwash could limit SARS-CoV-2 infections.

The traditional oral hygiene fluid, which is said to be inexpensive, readily available and safe to use in low concentration could be applied to reduce viral load in the oral and nasal cavities of COVID-19 in patients and to inactivate the viruses they shed, it said.

The FDA and PC statement said: “This has given rise to the sale of fake and substandard hydrogen peroxide on the market. Pharmacies and over the counter medicine shops are hereby cautioned to always buy their stocks from licensed wholesalers and manufacturers”.

It also reminded the public to purchase only FDA approved hydrogen peroxide and other medicinal products and be on the lookout for the mandatory FDA registration numbers on such products, if they were manufactured locally in Ghana.

The statement encouraged the public to report cases of suspicious medicines to the FDA and the Pharmacy Council via the contacts - 0551112224/ 0551112225 and its social media handles and PC’s contacts 0557918347 and 0204361309.