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An HIV drug is being recalled over concerns it has been tainted with a toxic chemical which can damage DNA.
Viracept, manufactured by Roche, is an antiviral medication used by about 20 HIV sufferers in New Zealand.
Roche today announced it was pulling all batches of Viracept off pharmacy shelves, after patients in Europe reported that the tablets had a strange odour.
A chemical analysis of the pills found higher than normal levels of methane sulfonic acid ethylester.
This substance can cause birth defects and cancer in unborn children, if used during pregnancy.
"However the risk to patients from this impurity is thought to be low," Roche New Zealand managing director Svend Petersen said.
Mr Petersen said the source of the taint had been found and the problem fixed, but the company couldn't tell which batches had been tainted so all stock was being recalled.
Doctors who treated HIV patients, and all pharmacists, were being advised of the fixed.
Doctors had access to four other similar drugs, which were all approved by government drug agencies Medsafe and Pharmac.
- NZPA
