MUSCAT: The Ministry of Health (MOH) has responded to a citizen’s questions regarding some of the medicines that was withdrawn by certain markets in the GCC countries. 

The medicines in question are manufactured by Gulf Pharmaceuticals (Julphar) and according to the MOH “these drugs recalled are not recent, but dated nearly a year ago.”

Withdrawal process 
MOH has reiterated that the National Pharmacovigilance Center at the Directorate General of Pharmaceutical Affairs and Drug Control has the core responsibility of monitoring the quality, safety, and efficacy of the drugs available in the Sultanate.

“The Center has been following up on a daily basis all decisions related to medicine withdrawal and suspension that are issued by the various international and regional bodies and organizations and these decisions are put into analysis for necessary actions, taking into consideration the availability of the drugs in the local market and with the same affected batch,” a statement from MOH said on Monday.

“It may be noted that some of the circulated drug recall decisions of the aforementioned manufacturer are not recent, but dated nearly a year ago.  A number of drugs were recalled locally either upon the Gulf decision or because the Ministry’s Central Drug Analysis Laboratory found the drugs unsuitable,” the statement added. 

Last year, MOH had recalled the sale of some medicines from Julphar that includes the pain-relief medicine Jusprin 81mg after laboratory tests found it failed to meet its quality standards, and Zordyl mouthwash due to the harmful impurities it contains. 

Julphar is one of the largest pharmaceutical manufacturers in the Middle East and Africa.