Malawi Warns of Falsified Opioid Pain Medication in Alert
The regulatory body called on pharmaceutical importers, retailers, healthcare workers and consumers to be vigilant in reporting any suspected falsified medicines or adverse drug reactions.
LILONGWE, Malawi— The Pharmacy and Medicines Regulatory Authority (PMRA) in Malawi issued an urgent public notice on Thursday, warning about falsified (contaminated) Oxymorphone Hydrochloride 40mg medication, writes Winston Mwale.
According to the notice, the World Health Organization (WHO) alerted PMRA about one batch of the counterfeit product, which was detected in the unregulated supply chain in Finland.
The falsified version imitates the Oxymorphone Hydrochloride product marketed by AUROLIFE PHARMA LLC., who have confirmed it was not produced by their company.
Oxymorphone Hydrochloride is a semi-synthetic opioid used to treat moderate to severe pain.
PMRA Director General Mphatso Kawaye assured stakeholders and the public that Oxymorphone Hydrochloride is not registered for use in Malawi, making it unlikely the falsified product has reached the local market.
However, the agency urged anyone who may have obtained the affected medication to refrain from using it and report it to PMRA immediately.
The regulatory body called on pharmaceutical importers, retailers, healthcare workers and consumers to be vigilant in reporting any suspected falsified medicines or adverse drug reactions.
PMRA said it remains committed to ensuring all medicines used in Malawi meet quality, safety and efficacy standards.
Individuals can report issues by contacting healthcare facilities or dialing a toll-free hotline provided by PMRA.