China orders recall of Glaxo drug (AFP)

BEIJING (AFP) – China Saturday ordered British pharmaceutical giant GlaxoSmithKline to recall an antibiotic used to treat infections in children which was found to be tainted with a plasticiser.

Traces of diisodecyl phthalate (DIDP), which is used to make plastics more flexible, were found in Glaxo's amoxicillin and clavulanate potassium suspension, which is sold under the tradename Augmentin, the State Food and Drug Administration said on its website.

Glaxo was ordered to immediately stop selling the antibiotic and recall those which had already entered the market.

Hong Kong last week ordered a recall of Augmentin after tests revealed the antibiotic syrup produced by Glaxo's French factory contained an unsafe level of DIDP.

The drugmaker is the latest company to become embroiled in a scare over plasticisers, with Hong Kong banning several Taiwanese drinks in recent weeks after tests showed they were tainted with excessive amounts of another plasticiser.

Taiwan has issued a major recall of products, including nearly half a million bottles of sports drinks and fruit juice, over fears they contained the chemical used in plastics.