Audience: Pharmaceutical manufacturers, suppliers, drug repackers, compounding healthcare professionals
[Posted 05/07/2007] FDA warned
pharmaceutical manufacturers, suppliers, drug repackers, and
healthcare professionals who compound medications using glycerin of
the importance of assuring that the glycerin used is not
contaminated with diethylene glycol (DEG), a known poison used in
antifreeze and as a solvent. Glycerin is a sweetener commonly used
worldwide in liquid over-the-counter and prescription drug
products. Although FDA has no reason to believe that the U. S.
supply of glycerin is contaminated with DEG, it is aware of reports
from other countries over the past several years in which DEG
contaminated glycerin has caused human deaths. FDA emphases the
importance of testing glycerin for DEG due to the serious nature of
this potentially fatal problem. FDA issued guidance to industry
recommending methods of testing glycerin and other controls to
identify any contamination with DEG before using glycerin in the
manufacture or preparation of pharmaceutical products.