News FAMHP

More than 1 800 illegal skin whitening agents were confiscated in seven shops in a coordinated action in Brussels. The vast majority are skin whitening agents containing corticosteroids which are very popular among the African community. The substances can cause severe side effects such as infections, scarring or adrenal gland insufficiency.

Quality defects in medicinal products can impact patients’ health or make it difficult for healthcare professionals to administer them. Quality defects can be reported via the FAMHP website.

The European Medicines Agency (EMA) and the competent medicine authorities of the European member states, including the FAMHP, have been notified that in a small number of diabetes medicines based on metformin outside of the European Union, a nitrosamine contamination (NDMA, N-nitrosodimethylamine) has been detected. Currently, analyses are being performed on the medicines within the European Union.

As of 1 January 2020, medicines with only one active ingredient can be sold for treating coughs and colds.

Early October 2019, the European Medicines Agency (EMA), together with the European medicines authorities, including the FAMHP, asked marketing authorisation holders to perform a risk assessment on the presence of nitrosamines as a precaution. The results of these risk assessments can now be reported.

The FAMHP was confronted with a case of identity theft whereby company details where abused for the illegal obtention of drug precursors.

A nitrosamine impurity (NDMA, N-nitrosodimethylamine) has been detected in medicines based on ranitidine. The European Medicines Agency (EMA) has started a review. As a precautionary measure, the companies involved are recalling the medicine or placing the medicines in quarantine.

The Falsified Medicines Directive (FMD), sets forth a number of measures to prevent the introduction of falsified medicines on the market. Thus, all packages of medicines that fall under this regulation must have a unique code and an anti-tampering device (ATD). On packages that do not fall under this obligation, marketing authorization holders can voluntarily attach an ATD. This information is now available in the online medicines database.

The FAMHP would like to inform consumers and patients of a recall by Stöpler Medical B.V. concerning COCUNE brand mitt-type body wipes. This is a repeat of a safety alert previously issued by the FAMHP that may have escaped the attention of some consumers and patients.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (U.S. FDA) has recognized all 28 EU member states. This means that starting 11 July 2019, the United States (US) and the European Union (EU) have fully implemented the mutual recognition agreement (MRA) for inspections of manufacturing sites for certain human medicines in their respective territories.