MCAZ Warns Zimbabwean Influencers Over Illegal Medicine Advertising

By Southerton Business Times | Harare

The Medicines Control Authority of Zimbabwe (MCAZ) has urged content creators and social media influencers to comply with the country's medicines advertising laws amid growing concern over the promotion of unregistered medicines and misleading health products on digital platforms.

Speaking during an engagement meeting with influencers and digital content creators in Harare on Wednesday, MCAZ Public Relations Officer Davidson Kaiyo said the regulator had opted to educate creators rather than immediately pursue enforcement action under the Medicines and Allied Substances Control Act [Chapter 15:03].

The meeting comes as social media platforms increasingly become a source of health information and product marketing, raising concerns over the spread of unverified medical claims and the promotion of medicines that have not been approved for sale in Zimbabwe.

"We noted the proliferation of advertising of medicines by our content creators and realised that, while some of those adverts were contrary to the law, many of the creators were simply unaware of the legal requirements," Kaiyo said.

"We felt that instead of simply taking enforcement action, it was important to engage them so that they understand the procedures that must be followed before advertising medicines."

He said MCAZ recognises the growing influence of digital creators in shaping public opinion and consumer behaviour.

"We want to create synergy because content creators are now carrying the voice of the people and are setting the pace in storytelling and content creation," he said.

Kaiyo warned that the rapid expansion of social media has amplified the reach of misinformation, making compliance with medicines regulations more critical than ever.

"A single unregulated post promoting a substandard or falsified medicine can reach more Zimbabweans in an hour than a public health warning reaches in a week," he said.

"That is the responsibility this room carries. MCAZ is not here to police creativity or restrict freedom of expression. We are here to build a partnership because compliance and creativity are not opposites. This is about protecting lives."

Under Zimbabwean law, medicines and medical products may only be advertised after receiving approval from MCAZ, and products must generally be registered with the authority before they can be legally marketed. The regulator has repeatedly warned against the sale and promotion of counterfeit, unregistered and falsified medicines, citing risks to public health.

Brand influencer Lorraine Guyo acknowledged that many content creators had unknowingly violated the law due to limited awareness of the regulatory requirements. However, she urged MCAZ to review its advertising approval timelines to better accommodate the fast-paced nature of digital marketing.

"They told us that approval can take up to 60 days, which is quite long for us because we are in business and need to work promptly," Guyo said.

She also called for wider public awareness campaigns, noting that many content creators were unable to attend the Harare meeting.

"It's also important for MCAZ to increase awareness because not all content creators attended this meeting," she said.

The engagement forms part of MCAZ's broader efforts to strengthen regulatory compliance while promoting responsible digital advertising as Zimbabwe's influencer economy continues to expand.

MCAZ Zimbabwe