BFAD notes sanitary flaws at Wyeth warehouse

Dead insects, sputum on the floor, damped environment—these were some of the unsanitary condition at one of the warehouses of the embattled multinational giant Wyeth Philippines in Laguna that the Bureau of Food and Drugs (BFAD) noted in its inspection report. According to a GMA News’ 24 Oras exclusive report Friday night, BFAD’s Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP) audit report gave Wyeth a passing grade for the company’s production procedures. BFAD conducted the inspection of Wyeth’s plants and warehouses in Canlubang, Cabuyao and Banay-Banay in Laguna from May 29 to June 14 following an e-mail complaint from a consumer in 2006. The government inspection team, however, said it found some sanitary flaws in one of Wyeth warehouses, according to 24 Oras. The report quoted BFAD’s GMP audit findings that “birds [were] noted at Brookline 1 [warehouse], dead insects noted on floors [that were] still unswept at 11 a.m." BFAD said “while inspecting the Brookline 1, spit was noted on the floor" and at the sachet filling line “cleaning brush [was] left on the metal detector." At the dumping area, the government inspection team noted that the floor was wet and the “working footgear trapped at the entrance door" while “plastic strips [were found] inserted between the walls and piping." The 24 Oras report said the BFAD team even called the cleaning personnel’s attention to dry up the wet area at the warehouse. Wyeth, meanwhile, told a GMA News reporter that its manufacturing procedures meet international sanitary standards. “Wyeth makes sure that our manufacturing facilities are based on good manufacturing practice," the company’s medical director Dr. Nerissa Calimon told GMA News in reaction to the BFAD report. “We abide by the good manufacturing principles [and] you are welcome if you want to see our plants." Wyeth has submitted its recall strategy to BFAD for the millions of infant formula products that were manufactured between May 23 and July 26, 2006 and were found to be defective. BFAD, however, said it will study first Wyeth’s proposal. - GMANews.TV