FRANCE ORDERS WITHDRAWAL OF KEY ANTIBIOTICS
French drug safety regulator AFSSAPS has ordered the withdrawal of 12 leading antibiotics widely used to treat throat infections. The move comes as the government attempts to bring an end to the historic problem of over-prescribing of antibiotics.
Concerns that the products were being misused to treat viral infections and over a possible rise in resistance risk led to a series of withdrawals in 2003. The latest antibiotics to be affected are among the market leaders, including products manufactured by Sanofi-Aventis, Pfizer, Boehringer Ingelheim, and Servier. Meanwhile, more antibiotics are expected to be withdrawn shortly.
There have been some reports that the 12 products could be reinstated in October, with their antibiotic content removed. However, French regulators now appear increasingly eager to act to control possible risks presented by products which have already received marketing approval. France's antibiotics market is worth some US$2.6bn per year.
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