Food allergens submitted to compulsory food labelling in the 50 highest-selling drugs in France

Many active ingredients and excipients present in allopathic drugs derive from food allergens normally associated with compulsory food labelling. This study was undertaken to evaluate the presence of these components in the various pharmaceutical formulations of the 50 highest-selling drugs in French pharmacies in 2002 (in quantity and/or value), and to assess their labelling on the packaging of these drugs. The 174 pharmaceutical formulations of 86 drugs were studied and the composition of each one was identified using data-processing software. An excipient deriving from an allergen with obligatory labelling in food is present in 58.6% of the studied pharmaceutical formulations. Almost one third (32.2%) of these medications are correctly labelled since the excipients in question are already known to have adverse effects. This study demonstrates the actual presence of components derived from allergens with compulsory food labelling in the 50 highest-selling p maceutical products in France (in value and/or volume). Given the absence of clear labelling of food allergens in drugs, allergologists must inform both the medical and public communities of this potential risk. It is equally important that the pharmaceutical laboratories implement clear, informative labelling of food allergens, similar to that of the food industry.