Paracetamol syrup withdrawn from local market ‘as precaution’

AMMAN — A foreign-manufactured paracetamol syrup for children was recently withdrawn from the local market, a decision officials described as "only a precaution".

The Mafraq Health Department received complaints 20 days ago that a batch of the paracetamol medicine in question, known by the commercial name Panda, contained a heterogeneous mixture, according to Daifallah Husban, the department's director.

"The impurities we found in Panda Syrup were not deemed harmful, but we are committed to ensuring that drugs are 100 per cent safe," he told The Jordan Times on Monday.

As a result, the Health Ministry issued a circular to all hospitals and healthcare centres in Mafraq, some 80km northeast of Amman, where they found the batch in question, to stop prescribing the medication.

"It was only a precautionary measure due to the availability of many alternative medications," Husban noted.

Paracetamol (acetaminophen) is a pain reliever and fever reducer that is used to treat many conditions such as headache, muscle aches, arthritis, backache, toothaches, colds and fevers, according to web sources.

The Jordan Food and Drug Administration (JFDA) established that only one batch of the syrup included the minor impurities and decided to withdraw them.

"The particles would pose no dangers but the syrup should be homogeneous as a solution," JFDA Spokesperson Hiyam Dabbas said, dismissing as baseless news reports claiming that more serious issues caused the withdrawal of the medication.

"We are transparent and committed to examining all drugs that enter the country," she noted.