Drugs with PPA put consumers at high risk: YPKKI

Drugs with PPA put consumers at high risk: YPKKI

JAKARTA (JP): To give four months to cough and cold medicine
producers to "adjust" the amount of phenylpropanolamine (PPA) --
a substance reportedly known to cause hemorrhagic stroke -- in
their drugs, is a risky disservice to the public, the chief of
the Indonesian Consumers Foundation for Health (YPKKI) said.

Marius Widjajarta called on the directorate general for food
and drug control on Sunday to withdraw all cough and cold
medicines containing over 15 milligrams of PPA, which acts as a
decongestant, as soon as possible.

"Either they withdraw these drugs very soon, or they should
give producers of cough and cold medicines only one month to
adjust the PPA level in their medicines, or they should replace
PPA with a safer substance," Marius said, as quoted by Antara.

Earlier, Director General for Food and Drug Control Sampurno
gave drug producers four months to adjust the amount of PPA in
their drugs, so that an adult should not take more than 60
milligrams, and a child, not more than 30 milligrams in a day.

Marius added on Sunday that in the next four months, drug
producers would profit tremendously from the sale of their
medicines, currently sold in the market with dangerous PPA
levels, before they are officially withdrawn.

"Consumers are put at a high risk. For instance, instructions
on the bottle of a cough or cold medicine with more than 25
milligrams of PPA, will state that two spoons of the syrupy
medicine should be taken thrice a day... that's 150 milligrams
already in one day," Marius said.

As reported earlier, Sampurno said that although there had
been no cases of hemorrhagic strokes in Indonesia caused by PPA,
careful use of medicines containing the substance were prescribed
after the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA)
decided to withdraw medicines which contain PPA, starting this
month, due to complaints about side effects.

PPA is an active substance commonly used in flu and cough
medicine. It acts as a decongestant.

There are 189 brands of flu and cough medicines containing PPA
produced by 79 pharmaceutical firms in the country.

"Proper dosage will avoid side effects. Fortunately, in
Indonesia, PPA is only used as a nasal decongestant and cough
suppressant and never used to control appetite," Sampurno said.

Research says an overdose of PPA can also cause elevated blood
pressure and interact adversely with other medication. The
substance can worsen the health of patients with diabetes,
glaucoma or those with kidney or liver problems.

The use of PPA is considered safe if it does not exceed 75
milligrams per day for adults and 37.5 milligrams per day for
children between six and 12 years of age, Sampurno said.

"Medicines containing PPA are not recommended for children
under six and pregnant women, except under doctor's advice,"
Sampurno asserted.

Patients who feel a racing heartbeat, nausea or sleeping
disorder after taking medication with PPA should stop using it,
he added. (ylt)