The Ministry of Public Health (MoPH) has clarified that the lubricating eyedrop, EzriCare Artificial Tears, which has allegedly caused some cases of blindness as well as death outside Qatar, is not registered or licensed for use in Qatar and is not imported to the country.
The product is manufactured by Global Pharma Healthcare Private Limited and its country of origin is India.
According to reports, the US Food and Drug Administration recently warned against using the eyedrop that has been linked to the outbreak of a drug-resistant bacteria leading to adverse events in at least 55 patients in the United States, including infections, blindness and one death.
Manufacturing of the said eyedrop at the Chennai-based Global Pharma Healthcare Private Limited has been suspended following the reports, and the matter is under investigation.
