UAE authority issues warning over cancer risk in drug for diabetics

  DUBAI – The UAE Ministry of Health and Prevention (MoHaP) has issued a warning over the presence of N-Nitrosodimethylamine (NDMA) in Metformin drug for patients with type 2 diabetes. Traces of NDMA are found in food and water and are considered normal, but higher levels of NDMA in food can increase cancer risk if taken daily for very long periods, according to the International Agency for Research on Cancer. The UAE’s health ministry said it following up with manufacturers of Metformin drug to ensure that NDMA levels are acceptable. The ministry stressed that it has not yet been found that there are unacceptable proportions of NDMA in the Metformin products in the UAE. Companies have been asked to provide the ministry with the results of the approved analyses to ensure that there is no NDMA impurity in the drugs imported to the country. Dr. Amin Hussein Al Amiri, the Assistant Undersecretary of the Ministry of Health and Prevention’s (MoHaP’s) Public Health Policy and Licenses, affirmed that MoHaP is still conducting all the required analyses for the pharmaceutical preparations that contain NDMA substance. Al Amiri said the ministry will instantly announce the findings of these analyses on those products containing NDMA impurity which will be withdrawn from the market. He said patients may continue taking Metformin drug on the advise of their physicians. The officials said that currently, health practitioners may still prescribe Metformin until there is an update from the ministry. ICA/Expat Media
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