Several diabetes drugs used by many people to help with weight loss have been withdrawn from sale across Spain
The Spanish Agency for Medicines and Health Products (AEMPS) has withdrawn from the market several batches of diabetes medicines that contain metformin hydrochloride and have been marketed by different manufacturers.
Specifically, these are the brand’s Metformin VIR 850 mg film-coated tablets EFG, 50 tablets and Metformin Combix 850 mg film-coated tablets EFG, 50 tablets have been withdrawn from the market after the Official Medicines Control Laboratory of the aforementioned organism determined that they did not comply with the specifications regarding the degree of impurity of the preparation.
In the first case, batches S001 with an expiration date of 12/31/2023 and S002 with an expiration date of 12/31/2023 have been withdrawn. In the second, only one batch has been affected by the health alert: M010518. All the units distributed from the affected batches have already been withdrawn from the market and returned to the laboratory of origin.
Prescribed to overweight patients
Metformin is a medication commonly used to treat diabetes, specifically to reduce blood glucose levels to values ​​as normal as possible. This drug is especially useful in prolonged use and in overweight patients with diabetes mellitus II.
Thanks to this medicine, many people achieve maintenance of body weight or even certain decreases in it. Of course, in no case can the drug replace other measures related to lifestyles, such as adjustments in the patient’s diet or regular physical exercise.
It must be emphasized that, as with other medications, metformin is associated with the possibility of certain side effects. For example, in some patients, it can cause diarrhoea, nausea and stomach upset. Also, although less commonly, it can trigger excessive drops in blood sugar if the patient does not eat, if they drink alcohol or if they use some other medication.
