ISLAMABAD, March 14: The government has banned the pain-killer medicine, Novalgin, senior government sources said on Tuesday. The Drug Registration Board, a statutory body, at its meeting on February 23, de-registered Metamizole, commonly known as Novalgin and manufactured by a multinational company, in the country.

“A complete ban on the import, manufacturing or sale of all Metamizole containing products in the country has been put with immediate effect,” the order said.

“All stocks of such drugs lying throughout the distribution network across the country also needed to be recalled to be destroyed safely by the manufacturers with intimation and proof to the ministry of health within a period of 14 days”, the order said.

At least 41 brands of the banned drug manufactured and sold by some 24 national and multinational companies are available in the country.

Metamizole was introduced in Pakistan and around the world by a German multinational in the early ‘70s and it soon became a drug of choice with doctors and non-doctors alike for reducing high fever.

Available in all dosage forms (compound, tablet, capsule, syrup and injection), it captured the market and enjoyed a lion’s share throughout the world until reports of its deadly side-effects started to trickle in the late ‘70s.

It was in 1977 that the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) banned the drug for causing a blood cancer-like effect on roughly one out of 30,000 consumers. Trials showed that the drug destroys white blood cells, thus decreasing human immunity against diseases and infections.

Meanwhile a spokesman for the Network for Consumer Protection expressed satisfaction over the move of the government, but reminded the health ministry officials that there were scores of other such products which still remained to be acted upon in order to protect the consumers from dangerous and outdated pharmaceutical products.

Metamizole containing drugs registered in Pakistan

Dipyrone Any

Blisspyron Syrup

*BuscopanCom Compound Injection

BuscopanCom Compound Tablet

Dipyrol Syrup

*Dolo-Neurobion Tablet

Elkopyron Syrup

Elkopyron Injection

*Epospon Tablet

Fibrex Tablet

Flavogin Drops

*Geospasmocin Injection

*Geospasmocin Tablet

*Hyospan Injection

*Hyospan Tablet

Javalgin Tablet

Javalgin Injection

Liskogin Syrup

Liskogin Tablet

*Lospasm Tablet

Magnopyrol Injection

Magnopyrol Syrup

Magnopyrol Tablet

Metavin Syrup

Metavin Tablet

Nafalgen Syrup

*Nasogin Injection

*Nasogin Tablet

Novalgin Injection

Novalgin Drops

Novalgin Syrup

Novalgin Tablet

Semolgin Tablet

*SistalginComp Compound/Injection

*SistalginComp Compound/Tab

*SpalinComp Comp/Inj

*SpalinComp Comp/Tab

*Spasler Cap

*Surfen Tab

* Metamizole in combination with

other drugs