Tapentadol ‘red’ not approved for medical use in Ghana; sale and possession illegal – Health Minister

The Minister for Health, Kwabena Mintah Akandoh, has declared that tapentadol is not approved for medical use in Ghana, warning that the sale, distribution and possession of the drug, including the street drug known as “red”, are illegal.“Presently, the FDA has not registered any pharmaceutical product containing tapentadol either alone or in combination with other active ingredients for medical use in Ghana,” Mr Akandoh told the House.

The Minister also warned against the circulation of “red”, a street drug made from a mixture of tapentadol and cough syrup, describing it as an illicit substance that poses serious public health risks.