Beijing (AsiaNews/SCMP) Last week a government ban on the antibiotic clindamycin phosphate glucose (CPG) came into effect but the death toll from using the drug has risen to at least six so far.
The latest death is that of Zhangjiajie, Hunan, a 74-year-old retired teacher, who died on August 2 after receiving CPG. A seventh suspected death linked to the drug has not yet been confirmed by the government.
The first victim was a six-year-old girl from Harbin, Heilongjiang, who received the drug while being treated for a cold and developed a high fever. A 48-year-old woman in Hubei and a man in his 70s from Hebei also died as a result of taking the antibiotic. A 63-year-old woman died in a community clinic in Shaanxi province after she received a dose on Tuesday. And dozens of other patients suffered reactions ranging from vomiting to diarrhoea and chest pain.
The State Food and Drug Administration (SFDA) has received so far 81 reports of severe reactions from areas throughout the country. The government has banned the antibiotic but has not yet explained why it caused the reactions.
The SFDA was criticised for issuing a warning only on August 4, when in fact it already new of an adverse case as early as July 27.
SFDA spokesman Zhang Jixiang said "despite what people might think, it is not necessarily the earlier the better to release information about adverse reactions to a medicine. We should publicise the information in good time in line with scientific and serious principles".
Only on Monday did the Health Ministry release guidance notes which describe the possible symptoms of an adverse reaction to the injection and how to cope with the reaction.
The manufacturer, Anhui Huayuan Worldbest Biology Pharmacy, says it has recalled 760,000 bottles of the drug. (PB)