· Third Recall of Pan Products
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· The Minister for Food Safety Minister Annette King is ordering a third recall in New Zealand of products
manufactured by Australian company Pan Pharmaceuticals Ltd.
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· The New Zealand Food Safety Authority has prepared for publication a third recall notice and is advising people
to stop taking the products being recalled and to either dispose of them or return them to place of purchase. The best
disposal method is in the rubbish bin.
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· This latest recall includes more than 700 products manufactured by Pan Pharmaceuticals that are available in New
Zealand. The recall has been ordered under section 40 of the Food Act 1981. The penalties for non-compliance of the
recall are a fine of up to $2000 or imprisonment of up to three months.
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· “People may notice that this new list contains some brands that already appear to have been recalled. However we
advise that where that is the case, the batch numbers are different. We want to ensure that we have recalled every batch
of every product for sale or sold in New Zealand manufactured by Pan Pharmaceuticals since 1 May 2002,” NZFSA Director
of Policy and Regulatory Standards, Carole Inkster said.
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· The up-to-date list of products is available on our website – http:// http://www.nzfsa.govt.nz or by calling the helpline on 0800 693 721.
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· The second recall list is still to be published in newspapers and we are working with them to try and combine
the list of products involved in the second and third recalls to be published this week. The list of products in the
first recall has already been published.
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· Ms Inkster said it was hoped that this would be the last recall. To date in New Zealand, more than 1800 products
have been recalled. However because the first two New Zealand recalls were the same as the TGA recalls in Australia,
some products on the list were not sold in New Zealand.”
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· “NZFSA has been working around the clock to get the recall of these products sorted out and we are hoping we now
have included the vast majority of products sold in New Zealand that are manufactured by Pan Pharmaceuticals or have
ingredients that were manufactured by Pan,” Ms Inkster said.
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· “We have received about 1500 calls to our dietary supplements helpline from people concerned about products they
may have been taking. Thousands of people have also visited our website and we are also responding to inquiries through
that. Our helpline 0800 NZFSA1 (0800 693 721) will be open from 8am to 8pm seven days a week until further notice.”
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· Folic Acid
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· “As well as the recalls we are aware that there have been media reports in Australia claiming pregnant women
have been taking substandard folate supplements. The Therapeutic Goods Administration has rejected the claims and said
pregnant women have no cause for alarm,” Ms Inkster said.
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“In New Zealand we are advising pregnant women who have been taking Pan Pharmaceuticals products, including supplements
that contain folate, that appear on the recall list to stop taking them. However, not all dietary supplements in New
Zealand are implicated in the Pan Pharmaceuticals recall. Anyone with any concerns about their health should contact
their doctor.”