Quality of medicines in Sri Lanka: a retrospective review of safety alerts.


Journal

BMC health services research
ISSN: 1472-6963
Titre abrégé: BMC Health Serv Res
Pays: England
ID NLM: 101088677

Informations de publication

Date de publication:
12 Sep 2023
Historique:
received: 08 08 2022
accepted: 31 08 2023
medline: 14 9 2023
pubmed: 13 9 2023
entrez: 12 9 2023
Statut: epublish

Résumé

Many medicine quality problems are detected after they arrive at health facilities. Thus, critically defective medicines that may pose health risks to patients need to be withheld or recalled. To investigate the withheld and recalled medicines in relation to the types of defects, their total numbers, therapeutic categories, pharmaceutical dosage forms, and country of manufacturer during the study period. A retrospective review was performed on withheld and recalled medicines published on the publicly available National Medicines Regulatory Authority (NMRA) official website in Sri Lanka between June 2018 and August 2021. Details on substandard medicines (SM) were extracted and documented. Each record of SM was individually reviewed to determine the type of defect, subsequent action taken by NMRA, therapeutic category, pharmaceutical dosage form, and country of manufacturer. A total of 163 defects were identified in 143 defective medicines, among which the most common types of defects were contamination (n = 59, 36.2%), stability defects (n = 41, 25.2%), packaging and labelling defects (n = 27, 16.6%) and active pharmaceutical ingredient defects (n = 26, 15.9%). Out of 143 total defective medicines identified, anti-infectives accounted for 41.9%, while parenteral preparations (44.0%) were found to be frequently defective. Nearly 70% of the recalled and withheld medicines were of Indian origin, and some manufacturers were identified to be repeatedly involved. This study revealed that contamination was the most frequent cause of defective medicines, while parenteral preparations and anti-infectives were the most susceptible pharmaceutical dosage form and therapeutic category found to be substandard, respectively. In addition, the findings show that some manufacturers were accountable for repetitive withholdings and recalls, which reflects the ignorance of quality control measures and weak regulatory inspections as a violation of Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP).

Sections du résumé

BACKGROUND BACKGROUND
Many medicine quality problems are detected after they arrive at health facilities. Thus, critically defective medicines that may pose health risks to patients need to be withheld or recalled.
AIMS OBJECTIVE
To investigate the withheld and recalled medicines in relation to the types of defects, their total numbers, therapeutic categories, pharmaceutical dosage forms, and country of manufacturer during the study period.
METHODS METHODS
A retrospective review was performed on withheld and recalled medicines published on the publicly available National Medicines Regulatory Authority (NMRA) official website in Sri Lanka between June 2018 and August 2021. Details on substandard medicines (SM) were extracted and documented. Each record of SM was individually reviewed to determine the type of defect, subsequent action taken by NMRA, therapeutic category, pharmaceutical dosage form, and country of manufacturer.
RESULTS RESULTS
A total of 163 defects were identified in 143 defective medicines, among which the most common types of defects were contamination (n = 59, 36.2%), stability defects (n = 41, 25.2%), packaging and labelling defects (n = 27, 16.6%) and active pharmaceutical ingredient defects (n = 26, 15.9%). Out of 143 total defective medicines identified, anti-infectives accounted for 41.9%, while parenteral preparations (44.0%) were found to be frequently defective. Nearly 70% of the recalled and withheld medicines were of Indian origin, and some manufacturers were identified to be repeatedly involved.
CONCLUSIONS CONCLUSIONS
This study revealed that contamination was the most frequent cause of defective medicines, while parenteral preparations and anti-infectives were the most susceptible pharmaceutical dosage form and therapeutic category found to be substandard, respectively. In addition, the findings show that some manufacturers were accountable for repetitive withholdings and recalls, which reflects the ignorance of quality control measures and weak regulatory inspections as a violation of Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP).

Identifiants

pubmed: 37700302
doi: 10.1186/s12913-023-09995-3
pii: 10.1186/s12913-023-09995-3
pmc: PMC10496228
doi:

Substances chimiques

Pharmaceutical Preparations 0

Types de publication

Journal Article

Langues

eng

Sous-ensembles de citation

IM

Pagination

980

Informations de copyright

© 2023. BioMed Central Ltd., part of Springer Nature.

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Auteurs

Jegath Janani Tharmalinga Sharma (JJ)

Ministry of Health, Nutrition & Indigenous Medicine, Colombo South Teaching Hospital, Baddegama Wimalawansa Thero Mawatha, Colombo, Sri Lanka. jegathjanani@gmail.com.

Madumai Ketharam (M)

National Medicines Regulatory Authority, Colombo, Sri Lanka.

Kaumada Binoli Herath (KB)

Institute for Research and Development in Health & Social Care, Colombo, Sri Lanka.

Senathiraja Sherley Shobia (SS)

National Medicines Regulatory Authority, Colombo, Sri Lanka.

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Classifications MeSH