The public should be more discerning about what they consume to avoid health implications, Mrs Nora Narkie Terlabie, Ashanti Regional Head, Food and Drugs Authority (FDA), has advised.

Mrs Terlabie said the public needed to be abreast of the conditions of an approved product, to enable them identify unapproved and suspicious products.

She said this at the customer service week celebration organised by her outfit in Kumasi.

The celebration offered a platform for the Authority and clients to have face-to-face interaction to enhance service delivery.

She appealed to the media and social media influencers to demand FDA certification from clients who intended to advertise in their medium to curb the influx of unwholesome and unapproved products on the market.

The media, she said, were inundated with adverts of many products, some of which, she said, had not been tested or approved by the FDA.

"The Authority faces some challenges including unapproved advertisements of products on both traditional and new media. Many claims of the potency of some drugs and products, which have not been proven but are aired daily on the traditional media especially, on radio stations.

"The FDA exists not only to regulate Food, Drugs, Herbal and Homeopathic Medicines, Veterinary Medicines, Cosmetics, Medical Devices, Household Chemical Substances, Tobacco and Tobacco Products, Blood and Blood Products as well as the conduct of Clinical Trials but also to serve as an advisory body to those who aspire to either sell or produce any FDA regulated products," she added.

Mrs Terlabie urged the public to involve the authority in their dealings, especially when importing any product to ensure proper testing and certification.

She encouraged the public to assist the Authority by making reports, complaints or suggestions on the quality of services rendered, as well as on non-conforming organisations and unwholesome products on the market for prompt action.

"Such pieces of information help the FDA in weeding out fake and unwholesome products from the market and improve upon our services," Mrs Terlabie said.

As part of the customer week celebrations, Mrs Terlabie interacted and expressed her appreciation for the cooperation the Authority had received and assured them of the FDA's commitment to improve on service delivery.