The sale of cetirizine syrup for cold has been banned in the Maldives following discovery of harmful chemical substances in it.
In a statement, the Maldives Food and Drug Authority (MFDA) said the World Health Organization (WHO) has issued an alert over the presence of said chemical substances in cetirizine such as diethylene glycol and ethylene glycol. The chemicals were discovered in the cetirizine batches since October 2022.
While the Maldives is conducting random sampling and screening, it is not possible to conduct the test in the Maldives. The samples have been sent abroad for testing.
So far in 2023, a total of 10 samples have been collected and screened in the market and the presence of the chemical was confirmed in the B220 batch of cetirizine manufactured by Pakistan’s Pharmix Laboratory.