Dubai: Rumours on social media that claim a commonly used painkiller for infants is unsafe are not true, the health ministry said in a statement on August 9.
Denying a post online that suggested young children given Panadol Baby & Infant Suspension droplets were at risk of liver cancer, the Ministry of Health and Prevention said in a statement that the product is safe.
“To all those who use this medicine, you should throw it and avoid giving it to your kids as the original UK pharmaceutical has recalled the medicine in the UK, EU and some parts of the GCC,” the rumour posted on a social media platform read.
“This is due to side-effects of the medicine which may lead to complications such as liver cancer. Please share this post to spread the benefits of this information, you might be able to save one person or child’s life.”
A pack of the suspension can be found at UAE pharmacies and costs around Dh7.
But the health ministry stated that the medicine was safe, and added that no warnings had been issued — either from the ministry or GlaxoSmithKline, the drug’s maker.
Referring to the latest rumour, health ministry official Dr Ameen Hussain Al Amiri said in a statement that there has recently been an “increasing proliferation of wrong information on medical products being promoted across social media by deceptive people”.
“These people have complete disregard for the health and safety of the public, as well as the potentially harmful consequences of spreading this information which might negatively impact patients suffering from serious health issues,” he added.
‘Harmful consequences’
The ministry warned that believing in misleading and false social media posts can result in serious and harmful consequences, such as scaring drug users away from vital medical treatment plans.
Dr Al Amiri urged all UAE nationals and residents to avoid publishing and promoting fake medical news and information from unofficial sources.
He added that the ministry continues its work of promoting health and well-being in the UAE.
The ministry’s implemented laws and policies were developed to regulate, register and monitor all pharmaceutical products, the statement said. These include traditional and herbal medicines, food supplements as well as other medical treatments.
To be legally distributed in the UAE, all treatments must be registered with the ministry, which says it monitors and ensures their safety.
People wishing to check the validity of a source about medical products registered in the UAE can contact the health ministry — either by email or through its website.
