FDA Ghana’s disclaimer on purported approval of COA 72 for clinical trials as an anti-HIV drug
The Food and Drugs Authority (FDA) has taken note of a publication on the front page of the Daily Graphic dated Wednesday, July 16, 2025, and similar reports circulating on online platforms, including Graphic Online, purporting that COA 72 is undergoing clinical trials as an anti-HIV drug with approval from FDA Ghana.
The FDA wishes to categorically disclaim these reports and state that:
1. FDA Ghana has not approved any clinical trial involving COA 72 for the treatment or prevention of HIV.
2. FDA Ghana has no knowledge of any such trial currently being conducted in Ghana.
3. Any claims suggesting that COA 72 is undergoing an FDA-authorised clinical trial as an anti-HIV drug are false, deceptive and potentially dangerous.
The dissemination of such inaccurate information constitutes a serious public health risk and undermines the regulatory integrity of the FDA.
The FDA, therefore, demands an immediate retraction of the publication within one week of receipt of this notice. The retraction must appear both in the print edition of the Daily Graphic and on Graphic Online. Additionally, it must be accompanied by a correction statement that accurately reflects the FDA's official position.
Failure to comply with this request will leave the FDA with no option but to explore legal actions against your organisation for the publication and circulation of false public health information.
Signed by Prof. Kwabena Frimpong-Manso Opuni, acting Chief Executive Officer, FDA.
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Editor’s note
Our attention has been drawn to the claims made in the story referenced above. We state that the error was not due to mischief or ill-will, but rather a printers’ devil, which is regrettable. We apologise unreservedly for any inconvenience the publication may have caused.
