The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) says it will conduct clinical trials on herbal medicines once sufficient funding is secured.
Mojisola Adeyeye, the agency’s director-general, said clinical trials will ensure the safety, quality, and efficacy of herbal products packaged for sale in the country.
“NAFDAC aims to provide scientific evidence on their safety and efficacy, ultimately protecting public health and promoting the development of herbal medicine in Nigeria,” Adeyeye told NAN.
She said herbal medicines are effective, but stressed that clinical trials were essential before the agency could approve their usage.
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Adeyeye also highlighted the high cost of conducting such trials, calling for financial support from the government and private sector to make them possible.
“NAFDAC is among the few regulatory bodies in the world that has a well-structured means of approving herbal medicines,” she said.
“In Nigeria, the reality is that clinical trials are very costly without the support of the government or private institutions, it will be difficult to do clinical trials of herbal medicines.
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“We have thousands of herbal products in our database that are yet to go through clinical trials.
“I was brought up with Agbo (herbs), and I didn’t die; I know that herbal medicine is very effective, but others might have had one issue or complications from taking herbs.
“We don’t know the toxic component and the exact quantity that should be taken and that is why clinical trials and a lot of research have to be done before approving any herbal medicine for usage.”
She, however, assured that the agency would begin clinical trials on herbal drugs as soon as grants or funds were made available.
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“Part of what we are trying to do now is to look for grants. I have already discussed it with the National Assembly and they promise to support us,” she added.
“If we can get five herbal medicines in our national formulary, we will have achieved a lot.”
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