The National Drug Authority (NDA) and Uganda Communications Commission (UCC) have directed the media to stop running adverts of products that claim nutritional and therapeutic value.
In a presser held at the Uganda Media Centre today (Friday), NDA Secretary, Dr David Nahamya, UCC Acting executive director, Irene Ssewankambo, and Uganda National Bureau of Standards (UNBS) Acting Executive Director, David Livingstone Ebiru, said such adverts are misleading and have put many people’s lives in danger.
Dr Nahamya said that they have observed with concern a growing number of advertisements of products claiming nutritional and therapeutic value on television, radio and social media.
“These adverts which exaggerate the therapeutic capability of the drinks being advertised are misleading to the public and are actually putting people’s lives in danger,” Dr Nahamya said.
UCC’s Sewankambo said that media houses that publish such adverts contravene Section 12 and 13 of Annex 14 of the Advertising Standards.
“Section 33 (1) (c) of the NDA and Authority Act Cap 206 prohibits the advertisement and publication of information that is calculated to promote the use of a drug prevention or treatment of any disease or relating to enhancing human potency,” she said.
UNBS’ Ebiru said that media operators and owners have also been engaged in advertising standards, especially running advertisements with nutritional and therapeutic claims.
