South Africa withdraws TB drugs because of quality concerns
BMJ 2008; 337 doi: https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.a1385 (Published 20 August 2008) Cite this as: BMJ 2008;337:a1385- Pat Sidley
- 1Johannesburg
South African health authorities have withdrawn two generic drugs widely used in the country to treat tuberculosis, amid concerns about their quality.
When the health minister, Manto Tshabalala-Msimang, announced the withdrawal earlier this month she said that her department had received information suggesting that the ingredients in the two combination drugs, called Antib-4 and Ebsar, “were not at the level stated in the label after storage.”
Antib-4 combines pyrazinamide, ethambutol, isoniazid, and rifampicin. Ebsar is a combination of isoniazid and rifampicin.
Both drugs are manufactured in India by Rusan Pharma and imported into South Africa, where they are …
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