Pharmacy Board urges Kenyans to report any adverse drug reactions amid spike in cases

A woman buying medication at a pharmacy. (Photo: Charity Kilei)

By Lucy Mumbi
Sunday, December 7, 2025

The Pharmacy and Poisons Board (PPB) said it has recorded 432 suspected incidents between July and September 2025, with the majority involving adults aged 18–64 years.

Kenyans have been urged to immediately report any unusual reactions after taking medicine, following a sharp rise in suspected adverse drug reaction cases.

In an advisory, the Pharmacy and Poisons Board (PPB) said it has recorded 432 suspected incidents between July and September 2025, with the majority involving adults aged 18–64 years.

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“PPB received 432 Suspected Adverse Drug Reaction (SADR) reports from July 1 to September 30, 2025, of which 98.61 per cent (426) were new reports. Most cases involved adults aged 18–64 years (72.3 per cent),” the board said.

The regulator called on the public to report any unusual effects such as itching, rash or nausea after taking medicine.

“If you experience itching, rash, nausea, or any unusual effect after taking medicine, report it immediately,” PPB added.

Members of the public can submit reports via the PPB portal at pv.pharmacyboardkenya.org, through the MPVERS mobile app available on the App Store and Google Play Store, by calling 0795 743 049, emailing [email protected], or using the USSD code *271#.

The advisory comes months after PPB warned against the misuse of antibiotics to treat viral infections like the common cold and flu. In an August 28, 2025, advisory, the board emphasised that antibiotics are only effective against bacterial infections and should not be taken without a healthcare professional’s prescription.

“Got a cold or flu? No antibiotics needed. If you’re suffering from a viral infection like the cold or flu, you can feel better without antibiotics,” the board said, adding that individuals can manage symptoms by resting, staying hydrated and eating nutritious food.

“What to do? Rest and stay hydrated, eat nutritious food and ask your healthcare professional for advice on symptom relief. Antibiotics don’t work against viruses. Let’s use them responsibly,” PPB advised.

Last month, Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale directed the PPB to ensure full compliance with the law and take decisive regulatory action against any individual or entity that endangers public health.

Duale called for the immediate removal of all substandard, falsified, poor-quality, counterfeit and unregistered medicines from the Kenyan market. He emphasised that any individuals, premises or entities involved in their distribution or sale must be arrested and prosecuted.

The Cabinet Secretary also stressed that parallel importation must strictly comply with the Pharmacy and Poisons (Parallel Imported Medicinal Substances) Rules, 2019, and instructed the Board to intensify surveillance to end the illegal leasing of licences.

The visit reinforced Kenya’s commitment to strengthening its regulatory framework as the country works toward attaining World Health Organisation (WHO) Maturity Level 3 (ML3) for health products and technologies.

CS Duale held discussions with PPB leadership on addressing challenges and implementing sustainable solutions under Kenya’s Taifa Care Model. He urged the team to uphold transparency, accountability, and integrity, as enshrined in Chapter Six of the Constitution, while fostering an enabling environment for effective service delivery.

He also highlighted measures to protect Kenyans, including ensuring that the Social Health Authority (SHA) will not reimburse any medicine that is not certified by PPB. He further noted that a track-and-trace system is being introduced to monitor medicines from source to the last mile.