By Ivyn Kipruto
The Pharmaceutical Society of Kenya (PSK) has issued a stern, legally-backed advisory against the escalating and dangerous trend of promoting prescription-only medicines across various social media platforms, branding the practice a critical threat to public health.
This warning directly targets influencers, digital content creators, and pharmaceutical sellers who advertise or endorse drugs requiring a doctor’s prescription, a practice the PSK emphasizes is a clear breach of Kenyan law and a serious danger to consumers.
The core of the issue lies in the nature of the products prescription medicines are not ordinary consumer goods but powerful medical interventions intended solely for use under professional supervision.
Promoting them online without proper medical context risks severe adverse effects, long-term complications, and potentially life-threatening consequences, particularly as the Society has noted a concerning surge in posts recommending drugs for conditions like weight loss and metabolic disorders often involving powerful agents like GLP-1 agonists and hormone modulators.
This pervasive online trend violates clear boundaries established to protect public safety, specifically the Pharmacy and Poisons Act (Cap 244, Laws of Kenya) and the Pharmacy and Poisons Board (PPB) Guidelines on Advertising. Under this framework, the direct marketing of Prescription-Only Medicines (POMs) to the general public—including through online endorsements, influencer marketing, or communication directing consumers to purchase locations is strictly prohibited.
Violations are not merely regulatory breaches; they attract severe disciplinary and criminal action. Individuals, whether licensed professionals or lay influencers, who violate these rules face a fine not exceeding KES 1 Million and/or imprisonment not exceeding two years.
Additionally, the PPB is empowered to take enforcement action, including the closure of non-compliant premises, while professional bodies can impose disciplinary action on registered pharmacists involved in the misconduct, potentially leading to the suspension of their licenses.
Beyond the legal implications, the unregulated promotion of POMs undermines public safety by encouraging reckless self-medication, increasing the likelihood of consuming counterfeit products, and contributing to the global threat of antimicrobial resistance. The long-term dangers of unsupervised use are significant, particularly with injectable or hormonal medicines, which can lead to organ damage, metabolic disorders, and fertility problems.
While acknowledging the positive potential of influencers in promoting general well-being, the PSK urged them to focus only on safe topics such as exercise, nutrition, and mental health. The immediate directive is clear content creators must remove all non-compliant posts and seek mandatory collaboration with qualified pharmacists when producing any medical content. Simultaneously, all licensed entities pharmacies, distributors, and importers are firmly reminded to adhere to the strict PPB advertising regulations.
The PSK concluded with a powerful appeal to collective responsibility, stressing that “Health is not a trend, it is a trust.” Through joint action and adherence to accurate information, the health sector aims to safeguard lives and strengthen the integrity of Kenya’s healthcare system against the pervasive dangers of the digital marketplace.
