Pholcodine No longer on Moroccan Market

The Health Ministry decided to suspend the marketing authorizations of all batches containing pholcodine, a common treatment for coughs and colds, because of a risk of cross-allergy with curare.
The Ministry informed all health professionals of the decision to suspend the marketing authorizations (MA) of pholcodine-based medicines and to withdraw consignments of the drug from the Moroccan market.
It also invited healthcare professionals (prescribing physicians, retail pharmacists and hospital pharmacists) to stop prescribing and delivering pholcodine-based medicines.
The Ministry warned that in case of anesthesia and/or use of curare, health professionals must inquire about the consumption of medication containing pholcodine by patients in order to avoid any risk of a serious allergy.
Pholcodine is an opioid medicine for non-productive (dry) cough used for the treatment of symptoms of cold and flu.