Gov't to review medicine registration process at FDA

Government has set up a Committee to review the process of medicines registration following recent media row between Tobinco Pharmaceuticals Limited and the Food and Drugs Authority (FDA).

The Committee, headed by Deputy Health Minister, Dr. Alfred Tia Sugri, will also investigate the cause of the recent dispute between the FDA and Tobinco. Tony Goodman, Public Relations Officer for the Health Ministry said the Committee was also set up in response to reports from other pharmaceutical companies in the country about FDA's conduct.

"The Committee will come out with some clear roadmaps...so that in the future will not have the situation we have at hand [Tobinco-FDA saga]", he said.

He indicated that the Committee is likely to submit a report within a month. Mr Goodman also disclosed that post market surveillance report by FDA will also be made public.

The FDA and Tobinco Pharmaceuticals were involved in a row over the latter's sale of a fake malarial drug, GSUNATE Plus.

The drug was supplied by Bliss GVS Pharma Limited.

The FDA subsequently blacklisted all drugs from the Bliss GVS Pharma, an Indian company over the same incident.