IGMPI India

Import of all the drug and drug ingredients have been banned by Health Canada which are being manufactured by two Apotex Factories in Bangalore in view of drug safety and quality data. Although no recall has been made as no safety issues have been identified with the drugs already there in the drug stores however consumers have been asked not to change their medication without prior consultation with a health care professional.

The ban was imposed after star investigation revealed that a previous request by the Health Canada to stop the import was ignored by the Apotex Facility and that FDA is more stringent in terms integrity of data. This was proved when Apotex banned the import of drug products to the United States after investigating that one of its staff has manipulated the data by retesting the samples as long as favorable results were not obtained.

More than 30 drugs from one Apotex plant in Bangalore which includes a generic form of Viagra, the antibiotic azithromycin, and other drugs made to treat hypertension, dementia, high blood pressure, asthma, convulsions and Lou Gehrig’s disease and roughly 30 drug ingredients made at the second Apotex site in Bangalore have been banned.
Health Canada has also imposed ban on more than 15 of the drug ingredients of the IPCA laboratories which are imported and being used by several of the drug manufacturers in view of the similar issues observed in case of Apotex Laboratories.

Certain drugs under the category "medically necessary" are excluded from the ban only if being tested by independent third party before their sale.