Pharmacy board says no cause for alarm over child birth drug
The Pharmacy and Poisons Board (PPB) says there is no cause for alarm over the safety of an injection used to control bleeding during child deliver. PHOTO | POOL
The Pharmacy and Poisons Board (PPB) says there is no cause for alarm over the safety of an injection used to control bleeding during child delivery after Comesa warned the public about its use.
PPB says Kenya does not have the batch that is being recalled.
Comesa Competition Commission (CCC) has warned that the use of some batches of Oxytocin Injection may be harmful after the authorities in neighbouring Uganda recalled it from the market.
The National Medical Stores of Uganda issued a countrywide recall for oxytocin injection last month, which is manufactured by Gland Pharmaceuticals Limited from India.
PPB chief executive Fred Sioyi said yesterday that this batch is not in Kenya and that the country does not procure from the said manufacturer.
“I want to assure the country that we do not procure our supplies from the said company, hence no need to worry,” said Dr Sioyi.
The product batch was recalled as it failed the United States Pharmacopeia (USP) standard specifications.
“The Commission has established that recalled drug is supplied in the other member States and therefore pursuant to Article 30(1)(b) of the Comesa Competition Regulations, we wish to alert the public and authorities in the Common Market on the possible risks of using the recalled batch of the above drug,” said Meti Disasa, Registrar with CCC.
“Further, the Commission wishes to advise consumers who may have already used the recalled batch to seek medical advice from a qualified healthcare professional and report the case to the National Drug Authority or any other relevant authorities,” she added.
Oxytocin injection is used to begin or improve contractions during labour. The drug is also used to reduce bleeding after childbirth.
CCC wants affected persons to contact their national consumer institutions or any other body with a mandate on consumer protection in their countries.
