On October 9, 2024, the Hanoi Department of Health issued document 5014/SYT-NVD notifying medical facilities, pharmaceutical businesses in the area, and health departments of 30 districts, towns, and cities about Zinnat tablets 500mg suspected of unknown origin.
Previously, on October 4, 2024, the Department of Health received Official Dispatch No. 3345/QLD-CL from the Department of Drug Administration announcing that Zinnat tablets 500mg were suspected of having unknown origin.
Specifically, the label states: Zinnat tablets 500mg; the outer packaging label of the drug does not comply with the provisions of Circular No. 01/2018/TT-BYT dated January 18, 2018 of the Ministry of Health regulating the labeling of drugs, pharmaceutical ingredients and instructions for use of drugs (amended and supplemented by a number of articles in Circular No. 23/2023/TT-BYT dated November 30, 2023 of the Ministry of Health).
 |
| Illustration photo. |
Specifically, the mandatory information shown on the drug label is not written in Vietnamese; there is no importer information; there is no circulation registration number or import license number.
Drug samples were detected in Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City (pharmacies around Cho Ray Hospital), Can Tho City, Lang Son Province, and Tien Giang Province.
To ensure treatment effectiveness and safety for users, the Department of Health requires medical facilities, drug wholesalers and retailers in the area not to trade, distribute or use drugs of unknown origin; review the operations of the facility, if Zinnat tablets 500mg is found to have the information as stated, promptly notify the Department of Health (Department Inspectorate) for handling measures.
The district, town and city health departments notify medical establishments in their management areas not to trade, distribute or use drugs of unknown origin; receive information from establishments, coordinate with relevant departments to conduct inspections of drug trading establishments in the area, verify information and trace the origin of the above Zinnat tablets 500mg, and handle violations according to their authority.
The Department of Health requested the Hanoi Center for Drug, Cosmetic and Food Testing to review the above drugs during the sampling process; increase sampling to test the quality of drugs at risk of being counterfeited or of poor quality, of unknown origin, and report to the Department of Health for handling measures.
In addition, the Hanoi Department of Health coordinates with media agencies to inform drug businesses and users and the public not to trade or use drugs of unknown origin. It is recommended that people inform the Department's hotline about counterfeit drugs, smuggled drugs, and drugs of unknown origin as soon as they are discovered.
Comment (0)