Ministry of Health suspends use, trade of medicine

The Drug Administration of Việt Nam under the Ministry of Health has requested a halt to purchases and use of three batches of Human Albumin 20% due to concerns over Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease.

This medicine is albumin extracted from human plasma and used to stabilise blood circulation, while Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease is a fatal brain disorder that kills 90 per cent of all sufferers within a year of diagnosis.

The request followed an announcement from the Economic and Trade Commission, the Delegation of the European Union to Việt Nam and a warning from the Italian Drug Administration and Hungarian National Institute of Pharmacy and Nutrition on the issue.

At present, the Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease infection has not been confirmed.

The suspension was to ensure the safety for users while awaiting evaluation from the administration and the Hungarian counterpart, the administration said in a dispatch sent to heath departments, hospitals and businesses trading the product.

Health facilities nationwide were ordered to monitor, detect and deal with the potential side effects of the medicine. A report on any incident should also be sent to the national centre of pharmacy information.

The Codupha Central Pharmaceutical Joint Stock Company, Bình Việt Đức Co Ltd and Central Pharmaceutical CPC1 Joint Stock Company were asked to temporarily stop importing, purchasing, selling and distributing the product.

They were requested to manage the product and inform trading businesses and treatment facilities to suspend the purchase, sale and use of Human Albumin 20%, 500ml bottle.

A report on the quantities of products left in stock is believed to have been submitted to Drug Administration of Việt Nam before today (September 20).

According to a report from Bình Việt Đức Co Ltd, three batches of Human Albumin 20% produced by Hungary’s Human BioPlazma Manufacturing and Trading Limited Liability Company, including 29610616, 29700916, 29590616, have been imported into Việt Nam.

Bình Việt Đức Co Ltd was also asked to co-ordinate with the manufacturer to update information on the circulation of the medicine to Vietnamese authorities.

Source VNA