UK drug regulator recalls medicines made by Wockhardt

Moneycontrol Bureau

UK drug regulator MHRA (Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Authority) said on Thursday that pharmacies, dispensing clinics and wholesalers have been asked to return 16 prescription only medicines made by Wockhardt following a precatuionary recall. The recall follows manufacturing deficiencies it has identified at the pharma company's plant at Waluj near Aurangabad in Maharashtra, MHRA said. "The deficiencies identified during a routine inspection in March included a low risk of cross-contamination because of poor cleaning practices and defects in building fabric and the ventilation systems at the site. There was also evidence of forged documents relating to staff training records that had been rewritten," it said. The medicines affected by the precautionary recall include those used for the treatment of infections, high blood pressure, diabetes, epilepsy, depression, schizophrenia, Parkinson’s disease, dementia in Alzheimer’s patients and thyroid conditions, it added. However, this is only a precautionary recall and there is no evidence that medicines made by Wockhardt are defective and so people should continue taking the medicines as per prescription, said Gerald Heddell, MHRA's director of inspection, enforcement and standards. Wockhardt shares ended at Rs 939.35 on NSE on Thursday, down 2.3 percent.