Thursday, June 21, 2007 Report alarms baby milk buyers
CALLS from inquiring mothers besieged the Bureau of Food and Drugs (Bfad) 7 yesterday after the Philippine Government issued a recall order to millions of cans of infant milk manufactured by a United States-based pharmaceutical company.
Dr. Angelita Salarda, chief of the health regulatory licensing enforcement of Bfad 7, said many asked what Wyeth milk would be safe to buy.
But Salarda could not answer the queries, as there was no advisory from the Central Office as of 4:30 p.m. yesterday.
The advisory is expected today.
The International Herald Tribune (IHT) reported in its website that the government ordered the recall of 4.3 million units of the infant formulas Bona, Promil, Promil Kid and Progress Gold last Tuesday.
(A unit is equivalent to one can or carton of milk).
These were reportedly contaminated at a warehouse during a storm.
Wyeth, however, reported that only about 2.5 million units were contaminated.
The IHT quoted Health Undersecretary Alexander Padilla as saying that the order was made after verifying confidential information.
They got reports that the products, manufactured in the Philippines last year, were exposed to the elements during a strong typhoon that hit the country and were not immediately recalled by the company.
In Cebu, Salarda said they would be constantly monitoring the progress of the recall.
She said a mother went to the office yesterday regarding the issue, but did not disclose what it was all about.
With calls bombarding the local office, Salarda said she inquired from the Central Office on what they should tell the public.
Sun.Star Cebu called her late yesterday afternoon but Salarda said health officials were still meeting about it.
The infant milk products were manufactured between May and July last year.
Joshua Ramos, deputy director of Bfad, said Wyeth has selectively withdrawn contaminated milk units and destroyed them.
But Wyeth has yet to reply to the department’s query on the number of affected units and whether they have ensured that those in the market are safe.
Wyeth reported the contamination to the bureau only after word about it spread in the Internet.
Irene Serrano, Wyeth Philippines spokesperon, told The Associated Press that the company will issue a statement after their lawyers are done studying the recall order.
Sun.Star Cebu tried calling Serrano at the Wyeth office in Manila late yesterday but no one answered the phone.
This is the first time that a recall order is issued in the country for infant formula due to contamination during its manufacture here.
Also, the issue cropped up just as the legal battle against strict marketing code on milk substitutes is heating up at the Supreme Court.
While legal arguments were heard inside the Supreme Court last Tuesday, some mothers shed their tops outside to show support for breastfeeding.
The Pharmaceutical and Healthcare Association of the Philippines sued the Philippine Government for issuing stringent measures against milk products.
The measures were in response to a World Health Organization report that only 35 percent of mothers in Asia breastfeed their babies during the first six months.
Wyeth is also a member of the Pharmaceutical and Healthcare Association of the Philippines. (JGA)
