An update of the pharmaceutical section of the Sixth Issue of the United Nations Consolidated List of Products whose Consumption and/or Sale have been Banned, Withdrawn, Severely Restricted or Not Approved by Governments has now been compiled.

The document Pharmaceuticals: restrictions in use and availability presents information on new national regulatory decisions and voluntary withdrawal of products by manufacturers on grounds of safety.

This information has been reported between 1993-1999. Criteria for inclusion of the products in the UN Consolidated List were developed in 1985 and revised subsequently. Although interpretation of the criteria continues to vary widely, leading to disharmony in reporting, the list is still useful to drug regulatory authorities and the pharmaceutical industry to give an indication of the status of products. More detailed information on action taken by the regulatory authorities or the manufacturers should be confirmed directly at source.

Pharmaceuticals: restrictions in use and availability. Essential Drugs and Medicines, World Health Organization, Geneva, WHO/EDM/QSM/99.2.