Dubai
The cough medicine “Kimi Pickett” is neither registered with the Ministry of Health nor sold in the UAE, an official said on Thursday.
Dr Ameen Hussain Al Amiri, Assistant Undersecretary for the UAE Ministry of Health’s Public Policy and Licensing Sector and Vice President of the Drug Pricing and Registration Higher Committee, said the medicne is not officially imported to the UAE. The medicine is produced in an Arab country, he added.
He was reacting to reports in social media that the medicine allegedly caused deaths and it has been smuggled into the country. The medicine’s side effects are respiratory failure, Cyanosis and coma, posts on social media stated.
Al Amiri pointed out that the ministry in collaboration with local health authorities and the Supreme Committee for the vigilance of pharmaceuticals are communicating continuously with the international bodies concerned and organisations to be updated about any warnings, complications or notifications about any medicine.
He underscored that the ministry has not yet received any official notifications or messages about this kind of medicine. “We can’t confirm the side-effects of the medicine, we call on the public to refrain from circulating such rumours that defame the manufacturers and country and spread panic among people.
