E-DRUG: Dipyrone/metamizol revisted (15)
---------------------------------------------------
Dear all,
The use in developing countries, of medicines which have been withdrawn from the market is very common place in developing countries.
In most of these countries pharmacovigilance/ pharmacosurveillance is either too weak or non existent and there are therefore difficulties in measuring and quantifying adverse drug reactions.
Most often, the registration procedures for new drugs entering these countries do not follow recommended patterns and the local experts more often do not agree on issues well known because of personal reasons.
The Medecins Sans Frontieres´essential medecines usage manual (french version) of 3rd edition of 2001 clearly states on page 77 that it is not advised to use Metamizole for the following reasons
- It is potentially dangerous
- Its sale is prohibited in many countries
- there is no justification for its use as a first line drug.
In order to avoid confusion and protect the public in developing world from the hazardous influence of the states and politics there is the need for the UN agencies to redirect its partnership and start working with recognised civil societies too.
Chana Robert
Presbyterian Church In Cameroon
Synod Office Bureau
robert chana <chana_robert@yahoo.co.uk>