Bangladesh bans use of methionine in paracetamol tablets

Bangladesh has banned making drugs using methionine in paracetamol tablets.

Prof Sharfuddin Ahmed, a member of the drug control committee as Pro-Vice-Chancellor of BSMMU, told bdnews24.com of the development.
 
He said the decision was taken after global studies suggested “the combination can be detrimental to health if used for long term”.
 
He said the committee had taken the decision recently.
 
At least 16 brands of the methionine and paracetamol combination including Napa Soft tablet have been available in the market of Bangladesh since 2005.
 

The Directorate of Drug Administration in an order cancelled registration of all those brands and said no company can produce this type of drug from now on.

This combination was once believed to be a tool to reduce paracetamol toxicity.

“But now studies show it has no such effect, and even in long term use, it can harm liver,” Prof Ahmed said.

He, however, said doctors used to prescribe this to be taken “not more than seven days in case of fever”.

Banning drug is not new in Bangladesh.

Once Rofecoxib was used widely as a pain killer. But it was withdrawn after studies found its link with heart conditions.