Ministry of Health: Withdraw this medicine

The reports from the Ministry of Health do not only concern food products. In these days a common medicine has been withdrawn in this period

The European Medicines Agency has withdrawn a series of medicines widely used in this period of winter flu. The news affected the entire continent and alarmed many consumers. Read this article and check the medicine pantry, do not administer it!

The alarm was triggered after some scholars analyzed the onset of allergic reactions in conjunction with some medical procedures. The fault would be attributable to a substance present in a very specific category of medicines. The decision was to withdraw all medicines containing this active ingredient. Let’s see what drug it is.

EMA: would cause severe allergic reactions

European consumers have been alerted to news that this cough medicine is dangerous to health, as it would cause severe allergic reactions. The symptoms would be triggered following the intake of a common cough syrup and to fight colds and flu.

The active ingredient that forced the authorities to revoke these medicines is phocodine, generally present in this type of medicinal product. Together with the EMA also the Risk Assessment Committee for Pharmacovigilance (PRAC) worked to study the side effects of focodin-containing medicinesa.

The PRAC has reportedly warned that some people could have an allergic reaction after taking some cough syrups. THE health problems related to the administration of this drug can take several months before coming to the surfaceas in the case of those who must receive anesthesia 12 months after the administration of the syrup can have very dangerous allergic reactions, risking their lives.

Here are the medicines that have been recalled

The decision taken by the European Medicines Agency (EMA) is by revoke the authorization for the distribution on the Italian and European market of all medicines containing a specific active ingredient and their medical prescription. THEFurthermore, doctors and healthcare professionals have been advised to ask before any prescription if the patient has used the medicine in the last year.

These very common cough, cold and flu medicines will be withdrawn from the whole European market and will not be available for sale until they are reformulated. The news caused a stir as pholcodine is an opioid used since the 1950s to treat dry cough.

The active ingredient in these medicines, usually syrups, goes to act directly on the nervous system, thus reducing the impulses to be sent to the muscles involved in performing the act of coughing. Pholcodine is usually marketed in the form of syrups and oral solution. If you have recently purchased, or used within the last year, medicines such as Dimethane, Biocalyoptol and Broncalene, tell your doctor.