Pakistan's Ministry of Health (MoH) decided to impose a total ban on the manufacture and sale of rofecoxib formulations effective from October 9. In a letter issued by MoH, pharmaceutical companies in Pakistan were asked to withdraw all their rofecoxib brands from the market, discontinue their manufacture and also stop the import of the bulk drug.

The MoH decision comes in the wake of Merck's worldwide withdrawal of its brand, Vioxx in the beginning of this month following adverse drug reactions of the drug on patients who are on long term use.

MoH issued another letter on October 19 declaring all brands of rofecoxib in Pakistan as de-registered drugs. This step is to make any retail sale or transaction of this drug illegal and unauthorized.

Even after this notice of de-registration, products of some of the companies are still being sold in some of the retail shops, according to a source in Pakistan. MoH has therefore, directed all provincial governments to ensure complete withdrawal of all rofecoxib preparations in each region.

In India, the Drug Controller General of India has decided to ban the drug last week but the notification is yet to be issued. Meanwhile some of the top companies like Ranbaxy, Unichem, Lupin and Micro have already withdrawn their brands voluntarily from the market.