Cold medication change sought

With the revelation that medications containing PPA could lead to stroke, the Korea Food and Drug Administration (KFDA) has requested that pharmaceutical companies cease producing and distributing cold medicines containing the PPA.

The KFDA also has asked doctors and pharmacists to explain in full the possible side effects when administering any medication containing PPA and also refrain if possible. The KFDA has currently called for a safety test of the PPA and might call for a complete ban following the test.

Currently, 92 of the domestic pharmaceutical companies manufacture and distribute about 214 medications for colds containing PPA, such as Contact 600 (Yuhan Corp.), Hwa-col F (Choongwae Pharma Corp.), Haben F (Koryo Pharmaceutical), Sinoka S (Hyundai Pharmaceutical), Takona S (Bukwang Pharmaceutical), and Jimiko (Daewoong Pharmaceutical).

The U.S. FDA, with the discovery of the risk of stroke in women due to the PPA commonly found in cold medicines or diet pills, has asked for the discontinuation of production of all such medicine and has begun legal proceedings to ban the ingredient formally.

Accordingly, Smith, Klein and Beecham, one of the largest pharmaceutical companies in the United States has begun recalling all PPA containing medicine that stops runny nose and suppresses appetite.