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Update: All Marketed Sibutramine Drugs Voluntarily Withdrawn in Canada
- Starting date:
- October 13, 2010
- Posting date:
- October 13, 2010
- Type of communication:
- Information Update
- Subcategory:
- Drugs
- Source of recall:
- Health Canada
- Issue:
- Product Safety
- Audience:
- General Public
- Identification number:
- RA-110003834
Further to Health Canada's October 8, 2010, communication on the voluntary recall by Abbott Laboratories of Meridia® (the brand name for the weight-loss drug sibutramine), Health Canada is updating healthcare practitioners and Canadians with respect to the two generic forms of sibutramine drugs authorized in Canada: Apo-sibutramine and Novo-sibutramine.
Apotex Inc., the manufacturer of Apo-sibutramine, has agreed to voluntarily withdraw this drug from the Canadian market. Teva Canada Ltd., the manufacturer of Novo-sibutramine, has confirmed to Health Canada that it has not marketed this drug in Canada, i.e., Novo-sibutramine is not available for sale on the Canadian market.
As with Meridia®, patients currently taking Apo-sibutramine should contact their healthcare practitioner at their earliest convenience regarding potential alternatives. Pharmacists with questions regarding their current supply of Apo-sibutramine should contact Apotex Inc. directly at 1-877-427-6839 (1-877-4-APOTEX), extension 1601. Patients with questions regarding their current supply should contact their pharmacist.
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