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Sunday, May 21, 2006
Agency orders recall of alcohol supply at district hospital
THE Bureau of Food and Drugs (Bfad) in Soccsksargen region has recommended the immediate recall of an isoprophyl alcohol product earlier delivered by a local distributor to the city district hospital after finding the product as highly substandard.
Bfad officer Marilyn Fermil said several tests recently conducted by Bfad's central laboratory based in Alabang, Muntinlupa City showed that the supposed 70 percent solution isoprophyl alcohol produced by Gerden Pharmaceutical Laboratory Company Inc. turned out to only contain 4.46 percent isoprophyl alcohol.
She said more than 50 percent of the product's solution was composed of methanol or methyl alcohol.
Fermil said the product was distributed by Rusann Marketing Corporation, which won the bidding to supply at least 960 bottles of 500-milliliter isoprophyl alcohol to the city district hospital.
"The product did not pass the basic standards of a 70 percent solution isopropyl alcohol and is not fit to be used as an antiseptic," she said.
Fermil said she issued an advisory to the city district hospital's pharmacy division to immediately retrieve and seal the remaining 160 bottles of the substandard antiseptic.
The Department of Health (DOH) central office's website listed Rusann Marketing as one of its accredited suppliers of medical devices and medical, surgical and dental laboratory supplies under the large company category.
Gerden, which is reportedly based in Caloocan City in Metro Manila, was included in DOH's list of accredited suppliers.
The company's name appeared in a website containing a list of unapproved products issued by the United States Food and Drug Administration.
Fermil said both Rusann and Gerden may be held liable for delivering the substandard products based on the terms and condition of the supply contract Rusann had forged with the City Government.
She said DOH and Bfad may also re-evaluate the status of the two companies as accredited suppliers.
As a result of Bfad's findings, the City Council passed a resolution during its regular session last week urging its blue ribbon committee to conduct an investigation regarding the substandard alcohol deliveries.
Dr. Lalaine Calonzo, General Santos City Hospital medical director, claimed the high methanol content of such product is harmful to health.
Calonzo said alcohol should not contain methanol, as body system would absorb it once it is rubbed on the skin.
"Once it is absorbed by our system, the common complication is liver disease," she said.
She explained that the hospital stopped using the controversial alcohol since the time they sent sample to Bfad for laboratory analysis.
The product was delivered to the district hospital when Calonzo was not yet the chief of hospital.
Late last year, Mayor Pedro Acharon Jr. revamped the hospital management after the mass resignation of medical consultants and after receiving repeated complaints from the public. (Allen V. Estabillo/Aquiles Zonio)
For Bisaya stories from General Santos.Click here. (This section is updated every Monday)
(May 8, 2006 issue)
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