The State's largest pharmacy group has said it is withdrawing cold remedies containing a drug which has caused a health warning in the US. Unicare said the decision was precautionary and products would be available at pharmacies on request.
Pharmacists would be able to check the products were suitable for customers wishing to buy them, a spokesperson for Unicare said. But the Irish Medicines Board said products containing phenylpropanolamine (PPA) were safe once the recommended dosage was not exceed ed.
The IMB said it was reviewing a study by the Yale University School of Medicine which showed PPA increased the risk of stroke. The doses of PPA in products sold in the Republic were three times lower than products in the US, the IMB said. "The IMB does not consider there is a need to withdraw these products from the marketplace . . . However, we will continue to keep this issue under review," an IMB statement said.
The Irish Pharmaceutical Healthcare Association, which represents international pharmaceutical companies, said it was not recommending any action on products containing PPA.
Adverse reactions to the drug happen within three days of starting medication and mostly affect young women. The IMB recommended people follow instructions on these products.
The US Food and Drug Administration issued a warning about PPA this week and said it was taking steps to withdraw products containing the drug. A number of US companies said they were withdrawing products.