PPB denies blocking 21,000 drugs amid crisis fears

Kenya's Pharmacy and Poisons Board denied social media reports on Sunday claiming it would block more than 21,000 medical products from entering the country. The regulator said approximately 9,000 registered products meeting safety standards remain available for manufacture and distribution. The board requires marketing authorization renewals every five years under 2022 regulations, and it set a Dec. 31, 2025, deadline for product owners to complete the process. Officials said resistance from illegal importers prompted false claims about a medicine crisis, but the board maintains no blockade exists.