Tuesday, July 03, 2007 Wyeth sets recall of products in CV
WYETH officials met with regional health officials yesterday to issue guidelines on how to recall its affected products in Central Visayas.
The company submitted to the Bureau of Food and Drugs (Bfad) 7 its guidelines for product recall on Wyeth milk products manufactured from May 23 to July 26, 2006 and those marked with 172 as lot number.
The recall guidelines were an answer to the Bfad central office order two weeks ago to recall millions of affected cans or sachets of various milk products manufactured by Wyeth Philippines.
Bfad issued the order after hearing complaints from consumers that some milk products were contaminated and that the cans bore rust marks.
25 percent
Dr. Angelita Salarda, chief of the Department of Health (DOH) 7 health and regulation division where the food and drug section is under, said that two weeks ago, there were no more “contaminated” milk products in the shelves of Cebu City supermarkets and drugstores.
But after the meeting yesterday, she said that Wyeth representatives estimated that there are only 25 percent of products recalled in region 7.
Salarda explained that it could be that while the products were already taken off the shelves, some of the items have not yet been returned to Wyeth for replacement.
Salarda and DOH 7 Director Susana Madarieta met with the Wyeth representatives from Manila and Cebu yesterday afternoon.
“They provided us with a recall plan on how to get all products distributed,” said Salarda.
While BFAD 7 field officers have already made the rounds in supermarkets and drugstores in Cebu, they have not reached sari-sari stores, which may have the affected products as well.
No jurisdiction
Salarda explained that sari-sari stores are not under their jurisdiction.
The agency has since recorded 19 products taken off the shelves. Most of the products were already removed before Bfad made its inspection.
Salarda also said that Wyeth assured them of weekly updates on the recall.
The recall will continue even if the office has not received any more complaints against the affected products like Bonakid, Bonamil, Bonna, Progress Gold, Promil, Promil Gold and Promil Kid.
“There are no more complaints. That was only during the first couple of days after the issue came up,” said Salarda, adding that calls to the Bfad were only because Wyeth cannot be contacted then because of numerous complaints.
Hotline
This time though, Wyeth created a Careline Customer Relation Group.
Complaints can be coursed through phone numbers (02) 819-9384 or 1-800-10-884-2222, which will operate 24 hours a day, “to assist consumers, health care professionals and trade in returning stocks from any specified lots and to answer other queries.”
Wyeth also trained their personnel in handling the product recall.
“Training cover(ed) main steps in the recall, identifying affected lots, retrieval, packing, documenting and shipping recalled products,” it added.
The guidelines also detailed the steps and documentation in the recall. (JGA)
