Amman: The Jordan Food and Drug Administration (JFDA) announced that the Jordanian pharmaceutical market is free from medical products that the World Health Organization (WHO) has warned against due to global poisoning incidents observed since 2023.
According to Jordan News Agency, the WHO alert pertains to contaminated cough syrups originating from India, which have resulted in the deaths of several children. In response to these concerns, the JFDA has implemented precautionary control measures through its Drug Health Risk Assessment Committee. These measures aim to ensure the safety, quality, and effectiveness of similar products in the Jordanian market, making certain that they are devoid of ethylene glycol (EG) and diethylene glycol (DEG) impurities.
The JFDA has disseminated circulars mandating pharmaceutical companies to provide lists of products containing potentially hazardous inactive ingredients, including Propylene Glycol, Polyethylene Glycol, Sorbitol, and Glycerin. Additionally, companies are required to submit Certificates of Analysis (COAs) to prove the absence of EG/DEG impurities in their products.
Standard operating procedures (SOPs) have been circulated to manufacturers to help identify high-risk inactive ingredients in each final product. This involves analyzing these components from the manufacturer of the final product prior to their approval for use in manufacturing processes. The JFDA has set a permissible limit for EG/DEG impurities, not to exceed 0.10%.
Moreover, the JFDA has bolstered international cooperation with health authorities in countries that have encountered similar contamination cases. This collaboration is focused on exchanging experiences and preventive measures to enhance product safety standards.