Friday
22nd Nov 2024
Dhivehi Edition
Sri-Lankan made Panadol banned from sale in Maldives.
The Maldives Food and Drug Authority (MFDA) has banned the sale of Panadol made in Sri Lanka in Maldives.
The authority said in a statement today that to ensure the safety and quality of imported medicinal drugs, a post-market surveillance plan “has been drawn up and in accordance with the plan, random samples are being taken and qualitative and quantitative tests are being conducted on the drugs.”
A sample taken from the market, Sri Lankan-made Panadol tablets (500 mg) were tested and found that some of the pills were crushed and detached around the pill, the MFDA said.
According to the MFDA, manufacturers usually do this because it does not meet the standards required for the manufacture or storage of the drug. There is also a high probability that the drug will not have the desired benefit or "effect" of the drug.
Therefore, the authority is investigating the cause of the problem, the MFD said.
"Therefore, until further notice from this authority, pharmacies and general stores are requested not to sell this drug at this time. The import of this drug is restricted until the investigation is completed," the MFDA said in a statement.
The MFDA has also asked that stocks of the drug currently in pharmacies, drug storage warehouses and general stores be kept at designated storage temperatures after separation.
Panadol (paracetamol) is one of the most commonly used drugs in Maldives. In addition to the brand, 11 other brands of paracetamol 500 mg and seven brands of paracetamol 650 mg are on the approved drug list, the MFD said.