20 Mar 2009
A spokesman for the Department of Health (DH) today (March 20) said follow up enquiries into the suspected malpractice of Unipharm Trading Company, a local drug importer, revealed that the expiry dates shown on the label of two batches of a pain killer were false.
The spokesman said the product, Cosalgesic, was imported by Unipharm from the United Kingdom (UK).
DH had contacted the drug manufacturer in UK and was informed that the expiry dates of the two batches of Cosalgesic (batch no. CX 3751 and CX 3754) imported by Unipharm were May 2009 and June 2009 respectively. But the expiry dates printed on these two batches of drugs found in Unipharm were June 2010.
The case will be referred to Police for further investigations.
The spokesman said the drug could only be sold under pharmacist's supervision in local market.
Unipharm has initiated a recall exercise at consumers level which was approved by DH. Members of the public in possession of Cosalgesic of these two batches are advised to contact Unipharm through its hotline 2499 1373 for arrangement of recall.
DH has also set up a hotline 2319 2905 for enquiries. The hotline will operate from 9 am to 5 pm tomorrow.
According to the Pharmaceutical Products Recall Guidelines, the company is required to submit progress and final reports to DH for monitoring purpose.
The spokesman said as the actual expiry dates of the products in question were in May and June this year, there was no immediate safety, efficacy or quality concern for the time being for people who had taken the products.
"However, people should stop using these two batches of Cosalgesic and seek advice from doctors, dentists or pharmacists as appropriate on the use of alternative drugs," the spokesman said.
DH will closely monitor the action taken in the recall exercise to ensure that all the necessary steps are effectively and efficiently adhered to.
The spokesman said DH staff had inspected Unipharm and screened all other 66 imported pharmaceutical products and other 17 batches of Cosalgesic found in the company. Investigation indicated there was no evidence of tampering of expiry dates printed on the labels of these products.
Meanwhile, laboratory analysis of samples of Amitriptyline (a drug for depression) which were imported and packed by Unipharm has so far indicated no suggestion of microbiological contamination.
DH's investigation is on going.