Pharmacy and Poisons Board refutes claims of drug import ban

The Pharmacy and Poisons Board (PPB) has dismissed reports circulating on social media alleging that it plans to block over 21,000 medical products from entering Kenya. 

In a statement released on Sunday, the regulator described the claims as false and misleading, saying they were meant to cause unnecessary public panic.

“The Board has noted with concern a misleading press statement on social media alleging that the Board intends to ‘block over 21,000 medical products’ from being imported into Kenya, which supposedly places the country ‘on the brink of a medicines crisis’,” the statement read.

“This claim is false, misleading, and intended to cause unwarranted public anxiety.”

PPB clarified that there is no blockade of medicines in the country and assured Kenyans that the availability and quality of medical products remain stable. 

“Contrary to these falsehoods, there is no blockade of medicines in Kenya. The Board has duly retained approximately 9,000 registered medical products that meet national and international standards for safety, efficacy, and quality,” the Board said.

The regulator emphasised that these products continue to be available for local manufacture, importation, and distribution, ensuring continuous access to essential and life-saving medicines for all Kenyans.

PPB said that it requires periodic renewal of product authorizations every five years as part of routine regulatory practice under the Pharmacy and Poisons (Registration of Health Products and Technologies) Rules, 2022. 

“All marketing authorizations are subject to renewal every five years. This renewal process enables the Board to confirm that only products meeting current international standards of quality, safety, and efficacy remain on the Kenyan market,” the Board said. 

Following consultations with stakeholders, the Board advised all owners of registered medical products to renew their registrations by 31 December 2025. 

 It stressed that this process is not a ban or restriction on medicines, but a regulatory requirement to maintain public safety.

 “The Board wishes to inform the public that its ongoing efforts to eliminate illegal importers and to remove unregistered, unauthorized, falsified, and substandard products from the market are meeting resistance from a few unscrupulous individuals and cartels seeking to protect their vested interests,” the statement said.

PPB maintained it remains firm in safeguarding the integrity of Kenya’s pharmaceutical sector and protecting public health. 

The Board urged the public, healthcare professionals, and the media to ignore misleading reports circulating online, insisting that its official communication channels remain the only credible source of regulatory information. 

“The Board will continue to communicate transparently and work collaboratively with all stakeholders to ensure sustained access to safe, quality, and effective medical products for the people of Kenya.”