• Home
• /
• World
• /
• Gulf

Alternative drug for kidney patients

ABU DHABI — Health authorities have assured the public of the availability of an alternative therapeutic medication for kidney transplant patients following severe shortage of the life-saving ‘Rapamune’ (sirolimus) drug used as immuno-suppressive therapy and management of renal transplant.

‘Prograf,’ another immuno-suppressive drug which belongs to the same therapeutic group for kidney transplant medication will be available in the market across the UAE, an official source at the Pharmacy Supplies Department at the Ministry of Health told Khaleej Times yesterday.

“Prograf will be available at all pharmacies across the emirates, especially big pharmacies. However, there will be restrictions concerning the dispensation of the drug, which will not be processed without a medical prescription,” the source said. The Ministry had received a large number of complaints from patients, who were on ‘Rapamune’ therapy, after the agent sold the stocks to a hospital here leaving patients in need of the medication in a critical health situation, the source said.