Pharmacists Association calls for drug tracking system after medicine recall

Umut Öksüz, President of the Pharmacists Association, has called for the urgent implementation of a Drug Tracking System (ITS) in the TRNC following a pharmaceutical recall in Cyprus. The recall involves 137 batches of 12 different medicines produced by Remedica in Southern Cyprus, which were withdrawn after stability tests showed irregular results.

Öksüz highlighted that while Southern Cyprus utilizes the Cyprus Medicines Verification System (CyMVS) to block recalled products via QR codes at the pharmacy level, and Turkey employs a comprehensive ITS to track products from production to patient, the TRNC still lacks such a system. Currently, pharmacists in the TRNC must manually inspect batches and expiration dates, a process Öksüz warns is prone to human error and delays. He emphasized that a digital tracking system is a necessity for public health rather than a luxury.