Ooooooops! Biggest therapeutic goods recall in Oz history.

Big news in Australia is the recall of literally thousands of herbal and complementary medicines manufactured by Pan Pharmaceuticals, because of serious concerns about purity, doseage and other quality issues.

The investigation by Australia's Therapeutic Goods Administration began after Travacalm, a travel sickness medication manufactured by Pan, caused
distressing symptoms in a number of users.

The investigation led to the discovery of many holes in the company's quality assurance procedures - leading to suspension of Pan's licence and an ever-increasing product recall. Also, the resignation of its CEO.

Of apparent comfort to Australian consumers was the news that many of Pan's products were destined for the foreign market. Hmmmmmmmmm.

Since the company was often used as a contractor for the manufacture of other company's goods, but this outsourcing was constantly moved from company to company, it has been a nightmare for health shops and pharmacies whose staff have been forced to pore over ever-increasing product recall lists and batch numbers - and for consumers. (Not for this little black duck - I figure if anything I have been taking has caused no harm, the rest of the bottle won't kill me - most of it feeds the fishies one way or another, anyway.)

Some folk think the so-called complementary medicine sector was long due for a shake-up. Some believe the TGA (a more traditional western medicine oriented beast) was keen to find faults in the non-traditional area.

Bummer, eh?

http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/common/story_page/0,5744,6373772%255E2702,00.html