[Recall of metamizole from the market in countries with modern pharmacotherapy]

Metamizole sodium (noraminophenazon sodium) is a pyrazolone derivate with analgesic, antipyretic and antiinflammatory activity, introduced in therapy in 1921. Since then, it was widely used all over the world, even in the counter preparations. In seventies its use was connected with severe, sometimes fatal side effects (agranulocytosis), resulting in gradual withdrawal of the drug. Metamizol has been withdrawn from the market in many developed countries, its use severely restricted in some of them, or permitted only in parenteral preparations for strictly defined indications (exceptionally severe pain such as posttraumatic, postoperative, abdominal colics and high body temperature unresponsive to the other antipyretics. In contrast to that, preparations containing metamizole are still in use in many countries, in some even as over the counter drugs.