E-drug: Registration of generic misoprostol (cont)
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Can anyone explain me why a ministry of health is annoyed that a company
does not want to register their drug. I would understand if it was that they
don't want to sell their drug. Registration is a supposed safeguard against
misuse, quality etc... of drugs. If the MOH is already convinced about the
use and the need of misoprostol why don't they register it (free !) and
therefore allow import.
I might miss something. Thank you for explaining.
Dear Jerome,
The issue of drugs used in abortion as well as a "day after" pill is a
sensitive issue. I think the main reason is the strong view of the
anti-abortion press groups, particularly in the USA. Anti-abortion drugs has
been approved by the regulatory authorities in many countries, but the
companies refuse to market them, even if they are on prescription. Ref. a
Hoechst-Roussel "case" in the USA and France a couple of years ago. Today,
women having to take an abortion have to undergo risky surgical abortion
because of this.
I think that recently it was mentioned in Scrip that Hoechst-Roussel has
sold the patent on their pill to another company. Hopefully this will make
the pill available.
I find it disturbing that the situation is like that, and it shows how
influential the pharmaceutical industry is. The substances are patented and
if your country has a patent law, there is nothing you can do...
In Norway we have approved a "day after" pill from Schering to be sold by
pharmacists. Still the comapny is considering whether to accept it although
beforehand they had said they would.
Regards Kirsten
Ms Kirsten Myhr, MScPharm, MPH
Bygdoy Alle 58B
0265 Oslo
Norway
Tel: +47 22 56 05 85 (h)
Fax: +47 22 24 90 17 (w) Tel: +47 22 24 90 04 (w)
E-mail: myhr@online.no
or (w): kirsten.myhr@helsetilsynet.dep.telemax.no
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