The manufacturing company withdraws the Erespal syrup from the sale. It will disappear from pharmacies not only in Russia, but everywhere in the world.
Recently, the French pharmaceutical company Servier announced that it is withdrawing the popular cough medicine Pneumorel from the market. In Russia, it is produced under a French license under the name Erespal.
“Our decision is based on new research findings. There is a possibility that the drug is causing heart rhythm disturbances, the laboratory said in an official statement. “The risks are low, but given the research results and the fact that there are other drugs for cough treatment, we decided to withdraw the drug from the market.”
Doctors were asked not to prescribe this drug to patients and to tell them about alternative treatments. And also sent out warnings to all countries where they worked on their patents.
“If you have taken this medicine before, there is no need to worry, the heart rhythm is disturbed only during the course of administration. If you are taking it now, you should stop the course immediately, ”warned the patient manufacturers.
In Russia, the drug was produced in the form of syrup and tablets. And he enjoyed the special love of his parents – “Erespal” was prescribed even for babies from three months. But now they will have to somehow manage without him. Roszdravnadzor said that all series of the drug are being completely withdrawn from circulation in Russia.
The main active ingredient of the drug, fenspiride, is called dangerous. He, by the way, is included in the list of essential drugs. Roszdravnadzor is now evaluating safety data for other similar tablets and syrups. And then he will make a decision whether to withdraw them too, or to leave them.
The pediatric community is now split in two. Some doctors regret this decision, noting that the benefits of the drug significantly outweigh the risks. They say, there are also allergic reactions, but at the same time the medicine really improves the condition of patients with diseases of the upper respiratory tract. Relieves swelling, heals the throat, “does not let” the disease to the bronchi and lungs. Measles, whooping cough, flu, bronchial asthma, otitis media, sinusitis – what is not in the indications. In general, such a universal miracle “pill”.
Other specialists – and there are many more of them – support the manufacturer’s decision. Why did they not like the drug? We asked our expert.
The manufacturer’s decision is fully justified. The drug was declared both as a bronchodilator and as – in part – an expectorant. But if you look at its chemical composition, everything is quite cloudy there. Its effectiveness has not been clinically proven, but there are a number of side effects. And the effect on heart rate is just one of them.
“How are we going to be without Erespal now,” sighs the mother of eight-year-old Mark Olga. – A bit of a cough, I immediately started giving him syrup. And they always did without doctors. There has never been a worsening – bronchitis or pneumonia. I read the instructions, and it is written there: it reduces the action of a number of factors that contribute to the development of inflammation and obstruction of the bronchi. And he never had stenosis. Now we will have to look for an analogue. “
Analogue, generic implies chemical compliance with the original. But all drugs, where the main active ingredient is fenspiride, should cause concern for parents. “Erespirus”, “Epistat” will also be withdrawn from sale over time. And those parents who are now looking for a new “prophylactic” medicine “so that pneumonia or bronchitis does not start” will have to be upset: there is no such thing! The basic treatment of ARVI without a doctor is drinking plenty of fluids, treating the nose with saline solutions, inhalation with saline is possible. But not pills and syrups! This is, of course, difficult for parents to understand and accept, but this is the problem of their anxiety.