Companies criticised for tardy Pan recall

The federal parliamentary health secretary, Trish Worth, says she is angry it has taken so long for some companies to respond to the recall of Pan Pharmaceutical products.

The federal parliamentary health secretary, Trish Worth, says she is angry it has taken so long for some companies to respond to the recall of Pan Pharmaceutical products.Nearly 100 more vitamin and herbal supplements have been formally recalled today.It brings the total of recalled products to more than 1,500 since April this year, when Pan Pharmaceuticals had it manufacturing licence suspended for six months due to serious safety breaches.Affected companies include Herbs of Gold, Bullivants, Guardian Pharmacies and Amcal.Ms Worth says some companies were late in responding to letters from the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA).”I think they’ve let down the Australian people,” she said.”Of course, when they didn’t respond, the TGA cancelled their products in any event, so they’ve been punished but it’s taken quite a while for them to own up to the Australian public.”Ms Worth says she hopes today’s additional product recall will be the last.(Source: ABC, Tuesday, June 3, 2003. 10:47am (AEST))