The Board of Fellows of the Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria (BOF-PSN) has called for stricter regulation, standardisation and quality control of herbal products and locally prepared alcoholic concoctions following the deaths and illnesses associated with their consumption in Ondo State.

The Board, in a statement, expressed concern over the tragedy, which had claimed 48 lives and recorded 182 cases as of September 17, 2026.

Other fatalities also recorded include five people who reportedly suffered complete blindness, while two others experienced partial blindness.

The Board said laboratory analyses of 15 unlabelled samples revealed high concentrations of methanol, while 11 samples tested positive for cannabis.

Chairman of BOF-PSN, Uche Apakama, in an interview, unequivocally condemned the adulteration or contamination of products with methanol or other toxic substances.

He said that where such conduct was found to be deliberate, it should attract appropriate legal sanctions.

Apakama said the incident also underscored the urgent need for stronger standardisation, quality control, labelling, dosage guidance, manufacturing practices and regulatory oversight of herbal products.

Similarly, Chairman of the BOF Committee on Drug and Substance Abuse, Dr Kingsley Chiedu Amibor, said describing a product as herbal does not guarantee its safety.

He said that natural products could cause serious harm when their ingredients, potency, contaminants and potential interactions were unknown.

The Board, therefore, called for strengthened regulatory requirements covering product identification and testing, good manufacturing practices, accurate labelling, full ingredient disclosure, dosage and safety information, control of alcohol content and active ingredients, as well as traceability of manufacturers and distributors.

It also urged the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) and other relevant authorities to intensify surveillance of locally produced herbal and alcoholic concoctions, particularly those marketed without proper labelling or regulatory approval.

The Board, however, called for enhanced collaboration among NAFDAC, ministries of health, law enforcement agencies, pharmacists, healthcare professionals, traditional medicine practitioners, community leaders, and professional bodies to address the risks posed by unsafe products.