Withdrawal of pholcodine-containing products in Singapore

The Health Sciences Authority (HSA), in consultation with its Product Vigilance Advisory Committee (PVAC), would like to inform healthcare professionals on its regulatory decision to withdraw pholcodine-containing products in Singapore. HSA’s benefit-risk assessment concluded that the benefit of pholcodine for symptomatic relief of non-productive cough does not outweigh the potential increased risk of perioperative anaphylaxis (POA) with neuromuscular blocking agents (NMBA). HSA is working with the product registrant to withdraw all pholcodine-containing products. The company will cancel the registrations for these products and cease their supply to pharmacies, clinics, and healthcare institutions. Healthcare professionals are advised to consider appropriate treatment alternatives. Anaesthesiologists and anaesthetists are advised to ask patients who are scheduled to undergo general anaesthesia involving the use of NMBAs whether they have used pholcodine, particularly in the past 12 months, and to maintain clinical vigilance for potential NMBA-related POA in their patients.
Healthcare professional, Industry member, Therapeutic Products
Published:

Dear Healthcare Professional Letters

22 Jun 2023

Only abstracts of the Dear Healthcare Professional Letters (DHCPL) are provided on this website. Details of the letters can be found on the MOH Alert System, which is accessible via the Health Professionals Portal (HPP). HPP is a one-stop portal for all healthcare professionals in Singapore. Dentists, medical doctors and pharmacists may access HPP at https://www.moh.gov.sg/hpp/, and follow the procedures below to access the MOH Alert system.

Step 1: On the top navigation ribbon of webpage, select 'For Healthcare Professionals' followed by 'Health Professionals Portal' and click on the choice of profession. User will be redirected to the specific HPP webpage for the selected profession.

Step 2: Click on the Restricted Content icon on the left panel of webpage and login via SingPass.

Step 3: Click on the MOH Alert icon under ‘Applications’ section

Step 4: Click on the Drug Alert tab to view the DHCPLs.