Editorial Team
... Read More
By clicking “Accept All Cookies”, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device to enhance site navigation, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts. Cookie Policy.
Written By: Editorial Team | Published : August 6, 2018 7:47 PM IST
Last month a major Chinese manufacturer of rabies vaccines was found to have fabricated records and was ordered to cease production. This month two more Chinese drugmakers have announced that a blood-pressure medication they exported to Taiwan contained a potentially cancer-causing impurity. The name of the two manufacturers is Tianyu Pharm and Rundu Pharma.
According to rappler.com, they said the batches of valsartan, an active ingredient widely used in medications for high blood pressure and congestive heart failure, contained N-nitrosodimethylamine (NDMA), which is believed to potentially cause cancer through long-term use.
On August 6, Tianyu Pharm made its announcement in a statement to the Shenzhen exchange, where both companies are listed, while on Friday Rundu admitted the same in an exchange statement.
An alert was issued by Europe's medical regulator last month over supplies of valsartan produced by another company, Shanghai-listed Huahai Pharmaceutical. A week later a similar notice was issued by the US Food and Drug Administration. Since then Huahai has launched a global recall.
These cases have provoked unusually strong outrage online from consumers fed up with recurring product-safety scandals, particularly in the drug sector.
Last year, Changsheng's vaccine for diphtheria, pertussis and tetanus (DPT) had also failed to meet quality standards, but 250,000 doses were sold.
China is regularly hit by scandals involving unsafe food, drugs or other products despite repeated official promises to root out the corruption and shoddy manufacturing that is usually blamed.
Image Source: Shutterstock
