Patients given old medicine

Dr Raffiek Essop, who opened a practice in Malcomess Park in Southernwood a month ago, on Thursday, 27 August 2009 vehemently denied he intentionally dispensed the expired medicines to patients, including children.

However, when the Dispatch, accompanied by pharmaceutical manufacturer Adcock-Ingram's Dave Stone, went into Essop's dispensary, more expired medicines were found.

“Almost everything (on the racks) is expired,” said Stone.

Health Professions Council of SA (HPCSA) senior manager for public relations and service delivery, Bertha Peters-Scheepers, on Thursday said the council viewed the issuing of expired medication in a serious light as it was unethical and could seriously affect the health of patients.

“We can confirm that the HPCSA has received a complaint in this regard which we are investigating, and will request an explanation from the medical practitioner concerned.”

The investigation followed a complaint to the Dispatch by one of Essop's patients, Telkom employee Lazola Mapoma, who took his 13-month-old son Lavela to the doctor on 1 August, with the toddler suffering from flu.

He received a prescription from Essop but the doctor dispensed medicines to his son.

Mapoma paid R180 and received a receipt, which shows Essop's practice registered in Lovedale Heights, Alice.

A week later Mapoma took his other son, Ayola, 6, to Essop for flu, for which the doctor gave him medicine.

Mapoma said it was at that time he became concerned that his youngest son's condition was not improving.

“I then checked the medicine which Dr Essop dispensed to them and noticed that it had expired.”

The Dispatch found that Essop had given Ayola Adco-Amoxycillin syrup, which expired in December 2006 and Salterpyn syrup, which expired in April this year.

Essop dispensed Adco-amoclav to Lavela, which expired in September 2006.

Mapoma said he again visited Essop's practice to collect a medical certificate.

He did not see the doctor but noticed a medical container and empty medical packets, as well as empty injection bottles, in the waste bin in the waiting room. Among them were:

Beclate Aquanase (expired January 2008);
Ceroxim tablets (November 2005);
Berotec (August 2004);
Ranzol (January 2007);
Lennon Vitamin B Complex (October 2006); and
Natrilix SR (November 2003).

The medical container which contained Methyl Salicylate ointment and which still had traces of the ointment inside, as well as on the wooden spoons which are used to administer the ointment, expired in July 2003.

Essop, who said he reopened the practice a month ago after losing R7 million in a failed business venture, claimed he was in the process of destroying the expired medicines.

He could not explain why they were still on the racks inside his dispensary.

Adcock-Ingram complaints officer Zandile Ngubane expressed shock that expired products manufactured by her company were being given to patients: “What if they get sick?”

Adcock marketing director Colin Sheen said legislation required the expiry dates which “demonstrate the effectiveness and safety of the product up to that date.

"If used by a practitioner beyond that date we don't take any responsibility.”

Sheen said Adcock-Ingram stopped selling its products six months prior to an expiry date.

What you need to know

Expired medicines could become toxic and poisonous, says East London paediatrician Dr Ferdie Pohl.

Pohl said it made no difference if the expired medicine was given to an adult or a child.

“There are rules for dispensing medicines and it is logical that expired medicines cannot be dispensed or used when it reaches that date,” he said.

“The reasons are twofold. After the expiry date it loses its effectiveness or can become dangerous.

“This is a huge concern. The bottom line is that there is an expiry date for a good reason.”

Source: Daily Dispatch

Published courtesy of