More treatments could be recalled
Australia's prime minister has urged people not to panic after the country's pharmaceutical regulator ordered the country's biggest ever drug recall.
Prime Minister John Howard said it would be "unduly alarmist to say that death is possible" from taking any of the recalled treatments.

Mr Howard said the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) had had "no alternative" but to suspend Pan Pharmaceuticals' licence and order stores to remove 219 of its products from their shelves.

The TGA suspended Pan's licence for six months after uncovering safety and quality control breaches,

Herbal medicines specialist Pan Pharmaceuticals makes about 70% of vitamins and non-prescription drugs sold in Australia.

Exporter

It also makes versions of commonly-used painkillers such as codeine and paracetamol and is Australia's biggest producer of drugs under contract for other pharmaceutical firms, UBS Warburg analyst Kiara Bechta-Metti told BBC World Service radio.

Pan exports about 40% of its production around Asia and to Europe.

Australian newspapers are carrying government notices listing the serial numbers of the suspect products.

The TGA has warned people not to take vitamins and herbal treatments without checking these lists.

The TGA suspended the company's licence after it uncovered rule breaches such as substitution of ingredients, manipulation of test results and substandard manufacturing processes.

Travel drug problems

It has warned that "a further, larger recall" of Pan products is likely "within days".

The TGA began investigating Pan in January after complaints about anti-travel sickness drug Travacalm.

Travacalm was then withdrawn in January after the TGA found 19 people had been admitted to hospital with adverse reactions, including hallucinations that made them want to jump off planes and ships.

Pan's shares were suspended from trading on the Sydney stock market after it lost its licence for six months on 28 April.

Industry alarm

Other drug makers' stocks have been caught up in the crisis because of Pan's role as a contract manufacturer.

"A large number of manufacturers have come out and said 'No we do not use Pan as our contract manufacturer to help alleviate some of the fears in the market'," said Ms Bechta-Metti.

Ten firms have issued statements saying they did not use Pan to make their products, while Mayne Group has voluntarily withdrawn Pan-made drugs at a cost of at least A$15m ($9.3m; 5.8m).

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