MFDS: "Remdesivir with glass particles found is a product not imported into Korea"

Gilead's COVID-19 treatment 'Veklury (Remdesivir)'
[Image source=Reuters Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Chunhee Lee] The Ministry of Food and Drug Safety announced on the 6th that Gilead's COVID-19 treatment drug 'Veklury (Remdesivir)' containing glass particles was not imported into South Korea.

The Ministry stated, "According to the company's announcement, the recalled products were distributed within the United States," and "the products with the specified manufacturing number were not imported into our country."

Gilead recently recalled 55,000 vials of the related product after glass particles were found in Remdesivir. This quantity is enough to treat approximately 11,000 hospitalized COVID-19 patients.

Gilead reported that customer complaints about glass particles in Remdesivir were received, and after investigation, this fact was confirmed. The product has been distributed nationwide in the U.S. since last October. Gilead expressed concern that administering injections containing glass particles could cause inflammation or swelling and potentially block the heart, lungs, or cerebral blood vessels, leading to stroke and death, but emphasized that no adverse event reports have been received so far.

According to the Central Disease Control Headquarters for COVID-19, as of the 2nd, Remdesivir has been administered to 22,571 patients at 172 hospitals nationwide.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.