The Maldives Food and Drug Authority (MFDA) has ordered an immediate suspension of the sale, distribution and consumption of Panadol, a widely used over-the-counter pain relief medication. This decision follows the discovery of quality issues during routine testing of random market samples.
The MFDA’s alert, issued on Tuesday, revealed that some Panadol tablets exhibited chipping and cracking, indicative of manufacturing and storage standards not being met.
These defects potentially compromise the medicine’s effectiveness, prompting the authority to conduct further investigations.
Pharmacies and general stores across the Maldives have been instructed to cease selling Panadol until further notice. The MFDA has also restricted the importation of the medication, pending the outcome of the ongoing investigation.
In addition to the sales suspension, the authority has directed that existing stocks of Panadol be isolated from other medicines and stored appropriately.
