The National Drug Authority (NDA) has sounded the alarm over an illegal concoction being marketed to Ugandans as an energy drink after laboratory tests found it had been adulterated with sildenafil, a prescription medicine used in the treatment of erectile dysfunction.
The product, marketed under the French name “Boisson Energétique Très Puissante,” is reportedly believed to originate from Burundi and is being sold as an energy-boosting drink despite containing an active pharmaceutical ingredient that should not be secretly added to a beverage.
NDA spokesperson Abiaz Rwamwiri said laboratory analysis conducted by the regulator confirmed the presence of sildenafil in samples of the product.
According to Rwamwiri, the discovery raises serious public-health concerns because consumers may take the concoction without knowing that it contains a pharmaceutical substance or understanding its potential effects.
The warning comes amid a long-running problem of unregistered and adulterated products entering Uganda’s market and being marketed as herbal remedies, sexual enhancers or energy products.
Sildenafil is a medicine used to treat erectile dysfunction and is supposed to be used under appropriate medical guidance. The NDA has previously warned Ugandans about products adulterated with the same substance.
In a 2021 warning, for example, the authority said laboratory analysis had found sildenafil citrate in M-Magix Coffee, which was being sold on the Ugandan market. The NDA warned that sildenafil is a prescription medicine that should be used under the supervision of qualified medical personnel because of potentially serious side effects.
The regulator has also previously uncovered sildenafil in herbal and so-called energy products. In its annual performance report for the 2021/22 financial year, NDA reported that laboratory testing of herbal products had detected sildenafil in several samples, highlighting the continuing challenge of pharmaceutical adulteration in products marketed outside the formal medicines system.
Rwamwiri said the newly identified “Boisson Energétique Très Puissante” could expose unsuspecting consumers to health complications, including hypertension and dizziness.
The danger, according to the regulator’s warning, is compounded by the way such products are marketed. Consumers buying what appears to be an ordinary energy drink may have no indication that they are taking a drug.
Uganda has previously faced similar incidents involving imported drinks. In one widely reported case, NDA laboratory tests found that Natural Power SX, an energy drink manufactured in Zambia, had been adulterated with sildenafil citrate after a consumer complained of adverse effects. The findings were subsequently shared with the Uganda National Bureau of Standards for further action.
The NDA has repeatedly urged the public to exercise caution with unregistered products and to avoid purchasing medicines or purported health products from unlicensed outlets and hawkers. Its public warnings stress that adulterated products can have serious health consequences.
The latest alert therefore puts consumers on notice over “Boisson Energétique Très Puissante,” with the NDA urging Ugandans not to consume the product.
The authority’s warning also underscores a broader regulatory challenge: products presented as beverages, herbal remedies or nutritional supplements can sometimes contain undisclosed pharmaceutical ingredients, making laboratory surveillance and enforcement critical to protecting consumers.
Members of the public who encounter suspected unregistered or adulterated health products are encouraged to report them to the NDA for investigation.
