Bahrain: NHRA issues list of diabetes medicines free from carcinogenic impurity
The National Health Regulatory Authority (NHRA) said that it has issued the list of the diabetes medicines in Bahrain (containing Metformin) that are free from the carcinogenic impurity N-nitrosodimethylamine (NDMA) or within the acceptable limits for daily consumption.
The NHRA added that it gave pharmaceutical companies a 72-hour grace period to have the laboratory results of other drugs not included on the published list checked and prove their safety. The list, posted on the NHRA website and Instagram account, will be updated accordingly, NHRA said.
In its statement, the NHRA advised all health care professionals neither to prescribe nor to dispense any “Metformin” containing medicine not mentioned on the list.
NHRA said it has suspended and prohibited the importation of all other Metformin containing medicines until it finalizes the investigations to make sure that the rest of these medicines are free from the carcinogenic impurity (NDMA) or within the acceptable limits for daily consumption.
Patients are urged to check whether their medications are included on the list of permitted drugs and to consult with their doctors if they are not mentioned, the NHRA said.
