E:DRUG: Lindane Publication - Stockholm Convention (Related to E-DRUG post)
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Some time in late 2014, (monday September 15) there was an E-DRUG post
requesting information for a document on decreasing/eliminating the use
of lindane as it was a Persistent Organic Pollutant. The document was
being written for the meeting of the Stockholm Convention in May 2015.
Most of the Western European countries have withdrawn lindane products
from their markets (permethrin lotion is the preferred treatment for
scabies).
Lndane is not available in Australia either.
In Canada, US and Mexico lindane is available but in a very restricted
(second line treatment) manner. New Zealand too allows it's use for
scabies and head lice.
Argentina withdrew lindane from the market through a Regulatory Actionin
2011
and drug utilisation data showed that it was virtually absent from the
market in 2012.
Similar abrupt decreases in the use of lindane (seen in drug utilisation
data) have been noticed in Egypt, Sri Lanka, South Africa, Tunisia and
Chile between 2009-2013.
Were there similar Regulatory Actions in these countries?
Can the e-drug community in any of these countries provide any information?
Regulatory Directives from DRAs? Postings from DRA websites?
Any other relevant information on Regulatory Actions from other
countries is also welcome.
The document has now been considered at the meeting in May 2015 and is
in the public domain - see the link below.
The link is the list of the document for the meeting and it is
UNEP/POPS/COP.7/INF/4.
There is a revised version (see foot note on first page) but it cannot
be traced easily. It is unlikely there were major revisions to the
original document.
Thank you to the E-DRUG community for the assistance provided. The
document may contribute to accelerating the elimination of lindane but
only time will tell. The document provides useful background and
provides some answers but probably raises more questions than the
answers provided.
For those of you in Drug Regulation, this document might be useful
when looking at the issue of lindane in your country.
Please send information to Krisantha Weerasuriya ....
Krisantha Weerasuriya
Sri Lanka
Krisantha Weerasuriya <krisantha@gmail.com>