DILI, 07 august 2023 (TATOLI) – Aspirin from India failed to meet international standards, said Delfim Ferreira, National Director of Pharmacy and Medicines of the Ministry of Health (MoH).
The result was revealed following laboratory testing of the drugs by the Australian Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA).
The drug was sent to the Australian Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) among four other medicines, including ampicillin, glibenclamide, oxytocin, and bisoprolol, last year.
Related News:https://en.tatoli.tl/2022/09/20/ministry-of-health-tests-the-quality-of-five-types-of-drugs/17/
The distribution of aspirin is currently banned in Timor-Leste following suspected issues associated with the medicine.
The medicine was procured by the Ministry of Health through Timor-Leste Medical and Pharmaceutical Agency (SAMES.IP).
“We sent OCIN (Oxytocin injection), APD Aspirin 75mg tablets, Atenolol 50mg tablets, Ampicillin Injection, and BISLOL 5mg (Bisoprolol) tablets to TGA for assessing the quality of these drugs. The result shows that the quality of the other drugs met the international standard except for aspirin,” Ferreira said.
According to him, the aspirin was supposed to treat heart disease: “It was not distributed to hospitals yet.”
He said, in march 2023, MoH sent five more medicines to be tested at the Australian Therapeutic Goods Administration – Mooxyvec-500mg, Ferrous Sulfate 200mg, Dawakoof Syrup 60ml, Bromicent syrup 60ml, and Paracetamol syrup 60ml: “These medicines are also procured by the Ministry of Health from India.”
Timor-Leste joined the Pacific Medicine Testing Program, in which the Australian Government provides medical quality laboratory testing services to the Pacific Island countries.
In 2021, the Ministry of Health signed an agreement with the TAG to assess the quality of various types of medicines, including insulin, amoxicillin, dexamethasone, and simvastatin.
Journalist: Filomeno Martins
Editor: Nelia Borges
