Archive Number 20090706.2431
Published Date 06-JUL-2009
Subject PRO/EDR> Malaria drug, adverse events - India: RFI
MALARIA DRUG, ADVERSE EVENTS - INDIA: REQUEST FOR INFORMATION
*************************************************************
A ProMED-mail post
<http://www.promedmail.org>
ProMED-mail is a program of the
International Society for Infectious Diseases
<http://www.isid.org>
Date: Mon 6 Jul 2009
Source: Yahoo News - India [edited]
<http://in.news.yahoo.com/20/20090705/1416/tnl-health-dept-prescribed-tablets-for-m.html>
Tablets distributed by the district health department in a
malaria-prone area have created havoc in Chiplun Taluk, and the
tablets have been recalled and collected by the health department for
investigative tests in government laboratories. One person died after
consuming anti-malaria tablets supplied by the health department last
[5 Jul 2009] night.
From the same area, 39 others who consumed tablets have also been
admitted to Dadar primary healthcare centre [PHC] for vomiting and
drowsiness; 2 persons from the villages died of malaria infections in
the last week of June 2009.
The health department declared Akale, Kadwad, Tiware, Tiwadi, Rictoli,
Kalkawanwali and Nandiwase villages as malaria-prone areas and started
distributing chloroquine phosphate and primaquine tablets in the area.
Yesterday [5 Jul 2009] in Akale camp, 64 patients suspected to have
infections were given the tablets. Among them, 39 patients faced
serious problems with vomiting and have been admitted to the PHC.
--
Communicated by:
ProMED-mail <promed@promedmail.org>
[Chloroquine phosphate is a very well known drug, and although nausea
and vomiting may be seen after administration, especially in children,
drowsiness is not a known adverse reaction. Therefore, the unexpected
adverse reaction could be due to the drug being substandard. A recent
study on the quality of drugs in India found that 12 percent of drugs
sampled in Delhi and 5 percent of drugs sampled in Chennai were
substandard: (Bate R et al. Pilot study of essential drug quality in
two major cities in India. PLoS One 2009 Jun 23;4(6):e6003). - Mod.EP]
[The drugs could also have been inadvertently contaminated with some
toxic substance. - Mod.JW]
.........................................................
Published Date 06-JUL-2009
Subject PRO/EDR> Malaria drug, adverse events - India: RFI
MALARIA DRUG, ADVERSE EVENTS - INDIA: REQUEST FOR INFORMATION
*************************************************************
A ProMED-mail post
<http://www.promedmail.org>
ProMED-mail is a program of the
International Society for Infectious Diseases
<http://www.isid.org>
Date: Mon 6 Jul 2009
Source: Yahoo News - India [edited]
<http://in.news.yahoo.com/20/20090705/1416/tnl-health-dept-prescribed-tablets-for-m.html>
Tablets distributed by the district health department in a
malaria-prone area have created havoc in Chiplun Taluk, and the
tablets have been recalled and collected by the health department for
investigative tests in government laboratories. One person died after
consuming anti-malaria tablets supplied by the health department last
[5 Jul 2009] night.
From the same area, 39 others who consumed tablets have also been
admitted to Dadar primary healthcare centre [PHC] for vomiting and
drowsiness; 2 persons from the villages died of malaria infections in
the last week of June 2009.
The health department declared Akale, Kadwad, Tiware, Tiwadi, Rictoli,
Kalkawanwali and Nandiwase villages as malaria-prone areas and started
distributing chloroquine phosphate and primaquine tablets in the area.
Yesterday [5 Jul 2009] in Akale camp, 64 patients suspected to have
infections were given the tablets. Among them, 39 patients faced
serious problems with vomiting and have been admitted to the PHC.
--
Communicated by:
ProMED-mail <promed@promedmail.org>
[Chloroquine phosphate is a very well known drug, and although nausea
and vomiting may be seen after administration, especially in children,
drowsiness is not a known adverse reaction. Therefore, the unexpected
adverse reaction could be due to the drug being substandard. A recent
study on the quality of drugs in India found that 12 percent of drugs
sampled in Delhi and 5 percent of drugs sampled in Chennai were
substandard: (Bate R et al. Pilot study of essential drug quality in
two major cities in India. PLoS One 2009 Jun 23;4(6):e6003). - Mod.EP]
[The drugs could also have been inadvertently contaminated with some
toxic substance. - Mod.JW]
.........................................................