Pharmacist warned that high-risk medications banned in Turkey still circulating in Northern Cyprus

Lefkoşa, July 17, 2025 — Pharmacist Dicle Tekiner has raised serious concerns about the continued presence of high-risk medications in circulation across Northern Cyprus, despite the fact that they have been subject to Class 1 recalls in Turkey due to severe health risks.

In a public statement, Tekiner criticized the Department of Pharmaceuticals and Pharmacy for its failure to issue any official warnings or initiate product withdrawals, even though the recalled drugs are widely used and, in some cases, have been procured through government tenders.

“These medications must be withdrawn from the market immediately,” Tekiner urged, adding that their continued availability poses a direct and unacceptable threat to public health.

Tekiner emphasized that the drugs in question fall under Class 1 Recall categories A and B, the most severe levels in pharmaceutical safety protocols:

-Class 1 Recall: Initiated when a medication is found to pose serious or life-threatening health risks if consumed.

-Level A: Requires the complete recall of all products, including those in the hands of patients.

-Level B: Requires recall of products from pharmacies, wholesalers, and hospitals, but excludes patient-held stock.

Tekiner condemned the lack of action, stating:

“It is unacceptable that medications posing such a serious threat to patient health are still on pharmacy shelves. The Department must act immediately.”

She warned that the systemic weaknesses in the Department's structure and staffing are compromising its ability to carry out such critical regulatory tasks.

“Despite the extraordinary efforts of its limited staff, the Department is overstretched. Inadequate staffing, poor infrastructure, and outdated systems threaten both workers and public health,” she noted.

Tekiner also called attention to broader systemic issues affecting the healthcare sector, stating that the crisis has gone “beyond the point of alarm.”

 “It is time to review and update health policies with all stakeholders at the table. The principles of a social state must be upheld without delay,” she concluded.

This warning comes amid growing scrutiny over pharmaceutical regulation and public safety standards in Northern Cyprus, especially regarding imported drugs and government oversight.