The authorities today ordered an immediate recall of all products manufactured by an Australian pharmaceutical company accused of negligent drug production, according a top official.

"To safeguard the safety of consumers in Malaysia, the drug control division has issued a recall o­n all products manufactured by Pan Pharmaceuticals Limited, Australia," health ministry director-general Mohamad Taha Arif said in a statement.

Mohamad Taha said the sale and distribution of Pan products would be halted immediately.

Criminal actions

Pan's licence was suspended for six months after Australian health authorities found it had risked lives by releasing products, despite failing to test ingredients, fudging test results and potentially contaminating products by not cleaning equipment between batches.

Pan now faces criminal and civil actions.

The drug control division also suspended the registration of all products manufactured by Pan, he said. Some 346 Pan products -- mainly vitamin and nutritional supplements -- are registered with the drug control division, Mohamad Taha said.

Dozens of people suffered adverse reactions and 19 were hospitalised after taking Pan products, Australian health authorities said, warning that thousands of additional products could be recalled in coming days.

Pan is Australia's largest manufacturer of herbal, vitamin and nutritional supplements and a producer of over-the-counter medicines such as paracetamol, codeine, antihistamines and pseudoephedrine. AFP