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SINGAPORE - The Health Sciences Authority (HSA) has stopped sales of Zerin 500mg tablets at all public healthcare institutions, private medical clinics and pharmacies.
HSA said in a statement today that this was due to product defects found in the tablets.
Although the health risk to individual consumers is low, the suspension of sales "is to prevent the exposure of members of the public to a product that is not compliant with quality standards," HSA said.
The tablets, which contain paracetamol, are manufactured by Jayson Pharmaceuticals Ltd and distributed in Singapore by Ziwell Medical (S) Pte Ltd.
Zerin tablets are used to combat fever and pain, and are available as an over-the counter (OTC) medicine, according to HSA.
Four reports of product defects in Zerin tablets were investigated since August 2011. Some tablets from different batches were found to contain small foreign particles.
Testing by HSA found that the foreign particles are inert, non-toxic substances and assessed to pose minimal risk to consumers.
Anyone who have Zerin tablets are advised to stop consuming the product. Those who have consumed the tablets should not be alarmed as the defect has been assessed to pose minimal risk to health.
Those who require paracetamol should use alternative brands. They can also seek the advice of their healthcare providers.
HSA is currently working with Ziwell Medical (S) Pte Ltd and Jayson Pharmaceuticals Ltd to ascertain the cause of the product defects in Zerin tablets.
It has also worked with other drug companies and healthcare providers to ensure that there are sufficient supplies of other brands of paracetamol to meet national needs.
The local licences of other products manufactured by Jayson Pharmaceuticals Ltd have been suspended, including antihistamine Histacin 4mg tablets.