The Pharmacy and Poisons Board (the Board) is the National Medicines Regulatory Authority of Kenya, established under the Pharmacy and Poisons Act, Cap 244 of the Laws of Kenya. The Board is mandated to regulate the profession of pharmacy and to ensure that all Health Products and Technologies available in the country are of assured quality, safety, and efficacy.

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” due to a shortage of medicines. This claim is false, misleading, and intended to cause unwarranted public anxiety.

The Fact

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. These products remain available for local manufacture, importation, and distribution.

These products are not affected in any way, and therefore, there is no cause for concern regarding medicine shortages. The Board continues to work closely with all local manufacturers, importers, and healthcare stakeholders to ensure continuous access to essential and life-saving medicines for all Kenyans.

In line with global regulatory best practice, and as required under the Pharmacy and Poisons (Registration of Health Products and Technologies) Rules, 2022, all marketing authorizations are subject to renewal every five (5) 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. Following a series of stakeholder consultations, the Board advised all Market Authorization Holders (Owners of Registered Medical Products) to renew their registrations, which are due for renewal, by 31 December 2025. This process is a routine regulatory measure, not a ban or restriction on medicines.

Accordingly, 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. Despite this resistance, the Board remains firm in its commitment to uphold the integrity of Kenya’s pharmaceutical sector and to protect the health and well- being of every Kenyan.

Public Advisory

The Pharmacy and Poisons Board urges the public, healthcare professionals, and the media to disregard misleading reports circulating online. The official PPB communication channels remain the primary 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.