DRAP bans cough syrup over health risk

Issues advisory to pharma firms manufacturing syrups using Levomethorphan

ISLAMABAD: The Drug Regulatory Authority of Pakistan (Drap) registration board has decided to curb the production of a cough syrup named ‘Tyno’ with Levomethorphan used as an ingredient.

The board has directed all pharmaceutical companies manufacturing cough syrups using Levomethorphan to arrange for facilities to check mixing of ingredients injurious to health.

The production of a company that fails to arrange the required testing would be stopped and issued show-cause notice for the cancellation of registration.

The registration board has also instructed all drug inspectors to submit compliance report from the drug manufacturing companies in 30 days.

The 290th meeting of Drap took up the issue of restarting of production of said medicines where it was decided that further production would be stopped until the required tests were done.

According to the documents, the 279th meeting of Drap had decided to release the batches of Tyno cough syrup produced and Dextromethorphan cough syrup after being tested at Central Drug Testing Laboratory (CDL) Karachi and had directed the pharmaceutical companies to submit pharmacovigilance data with the registration board.