Zimbabwe drug regulator warns of fake cough syrup

The Medicines Control Authority of Zimbabwe (MCAZ) has warned the public to beware of a falsified version of Flumed cough, cold and flu syrup discovered in pharmacies.

The genuine product – a paediatric formulation that contains paracetamol, phenylephrine hydrochloride, dextromethorphan hydrobromide and chlorpheniramine – is sold by Varichem Pharma, which has confirmed the suspect version is fake.

“The variable details on the product label do not correspond to the genuine manufacturing records. There are labelling and packaging inconsistencies,” says the MCAZ, as reported by healthtimes.co.zw.

Meanwhile, a certificate of analysis for the falsified product showed that the active ingredients are at subtherapeutic levels.