Saturday, March 21, 2009

HK pharmaceutical producer tested after fungal infection kills 6th patient

The Department of health of Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) government said here Saturday that the latest laboratory analysis of Europharm's 359 pharmaceutical products showed they were free of fungal growth but analysis of the company's other products will continue.

Tests on 39 raw material samples taken from Europharm also yielded negative results for fungus, the department said, adding the results for the last batch of samples will be available early next week.

Laboratory analysis of pharmaceutical products manufactured by Europharm included tablets, capsules, powder, syrup, eye drops, cream and ointment, which were supplied to the Hospital Authority, Department of health and other users.

The Europharm's drugs, tainted by the fungus Rhizopus microsporus, had been suspected of being linked to the deaths of at least six patients in Hong Kong.

The fungus is common and often found in food and wood.

The Department of health has instructed the company to thoroughly disinfect its production lines and enhance its quality-control measures.

Europharm could resume manufacturing operations only after improvements on all its production lines were implemented and tested to the health department's satisfaction.

Previous tests by HKSAR government had found that four batches of Purinol manufactured by Europharm from April to November last year were contaminated by the fungus at levels ten times over that permitted.

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