Thai authority ban pseudoephedrine, paracetamol

BANGKOK, April 4 (TNA) - Thai Public Health Minister Wittaya Buranasiri has ordered, in a ministerial notice, a nationwide ban on sales of cold medicines containing pseudoephedrine, which is used by illegal drug makers, as proposed by the ministry's Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Under the official ban, effective from April 3, 2012, those who are not legally licensed to hold the cold medicines containing pseudoephedrine are to face 1-5 jail term each and to be each fined 20,000-100,000 baht. Thai FDA Secretary-General Dr. Pipat Yingseri said that his agency will also ask small hospitals and pharmacy shops throughout the country to return medicines containing pseudoephedrine and paracetamol tablets to manufacturers within 30 days; while the manufacturers are legally required to then return the banned medicines to the FDA, If neglected, legal action will be taken against them. Dr. Pipat acknowledged that pseudoephedrine and paracetamol belong to the antihistamines group, which causes dizziness, headaches and several other side effects, saying that the FDA was set to invite manufacturers of medicines containing pseudoephedrine for a meeting in Bangkok early Wednesday so that they will better understand why the ban is necessary. Local media reports have said that pseudoephedrine in cold medicines were used by drug makers as a precursor of narcotics. (TNA)