The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) says it is committed to supporting any intervention aimed at facilitating the treatment of the COVID-19.
The Director General of the agency, Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye, said this in a statement in Abuja on Thursday.
According to Adeyeye, part of the efforts to advance herbal products development for the treatment of COVID-19 informed the setting up of the Nigerian Herbal Medicine Product Committee (HMPC).
She said that the platform had brought together manufacturers, academics, researchers and relevant stakeholders by bridging the gap created between traditional medicine practitioners and drug manufacturers.
“This collaboration brokered by the agency aims at translating research of herbs into products of commerce with proven safety and efficacy.
“The committee has met three times since inception, on March 15, Sept. 6, 2019 and the most recent one being a virtual meeting on Thursday, May 8, 2020.
“Call for expression of interest for the COVID-19 related medicines was made; several researchers and practitioners have responded and are being guided to submit such medicines to NAFDAC for expedited review.
“The agency continues to encourage all stakeholders to present the products of their research findings and allow these remedies go through internationally recognised process of approval,” she said.
The director general added that NAFDAC, as an agency with the mandate to regulate the conduct of clinical trials in the country, was committed to encouraging sponsors with appropriate guidance for effective intervention to treat or prevent COVID-19.
