3 painkillers immediately withdrawn from hospitals due to lack of quality

Due to not meeting proper standards, the National Medicines Regulatory Authority and the Medical Supplies Division have taken steps to immediately withdraw three batches of the 200 mg painkiller drug Celecoxib, known by the brand name 'Swiscox 200', from use.

According to the circular issued by the Medical Supplies Division, the withdrawn drugs bear batch numbers 476CSX004, 476CSX005, and 476CSX002. These instructions were issued by the Chief Executive Officer of the National Medicines Regulatory Authority, based on a decision made by the 'Safety and Risk Assessment Subcommittee' on the 17th, which was based on reports from the National Drug Quality Assurance Laboratory.

It is stated that the three batches of 'Swiscox 200' drugs instructed to be withdrawn from use were not supplied by the Medical Supplies Division. All provincial and regional health service directors, teaching hospital directors, and heads of health institutions have been immediately informed about this decision, and instructed to act in accordance with the Health Secretary's instruction series 01/2021.