Suppliers of coloured paracetamol and aspirin beware

by Carol Aloysius

The Health Ministry will take stern action against suppliers of coloured paracetamol and aspirin to dupe patients.

“Only white paracetamol and aspirin are permitted to be sold under the Drugs Act. If a pharmacy, person or shop sells these tablets in colour, they will face prosecution”, a spokesman for the Consumer, Drugs and Devices Authority (CDDA) told the Sunday Observer. “We have sent out circulars authorising our officers to seize the drugs and take the offenders to court”.

He said the renewed efforts to crack down on suppliers of these two drugs in particular, follows several complaints being received by the CDDA. “The public must abstain from buying these coloured drugs.

They should only purchase the white-coloured drugs, as many of the coloured drugs have been found to be sub-standard and contaminated with foreign material, such as cloth dye, paints, or food colouring,” he said.

Food contaminated with similar foreign raw materials which are harmful to human life, continues to increase with several wholesale and retail outlets selling spices and even red rice using toxic colouring, or adulterated with corn flour and arrowroot, a food inspector for the CDDA said.

“Read the labels carefully and see if every packet contains an address and the SLS trademark and check on expiry dates, before making your purchase. If you have complaints call the CDDA office on 2687744”, he said.