Concerns rise in Morocco over antidepressant still sold despite recall for potential carcinogen

Concerns are mounting in Morocco after reports emerged that the antidepressant Ludiomil remains available in pharmacies, despite a recall issued in France due to contamination with nitrosamines, substances classified as “probable human carcinogens.”

The Moroccan Medicines and Health Products Agency (AMMPS) confirmed the recall locally, but pharmaceutical professionals say the drug is still being sold, raising questions about the effectiveness of Morocco’s drug recall system.

French health authorities ordered the withdrawal of all batches of Ludiomil (25mg and 75mg) after tests published in late June 2025 revealed nitrosamine levels above European safety thresholds. The drug’s manufacturer had already suspended production and distribution as a precaution in March 2025.

In Morocco, however, the recall appears to have had little impact on the ground.

Hespress obtained a copy of an official alert issued by AMMPS in coordination with the pharmaceutical lab MAPHAR, announcing the withdrawal of all batches of the drug. Despite this, Ludiomil reportedly remains on some pharmacy shelves.

Mohamed Hawachi, vice president of the National Federation of Pharmacists’ Unions in Morocco, said the continued availability of the drug is due to a lack of proper communication.

“More than a month after the warning, the drug is still being sold,” Hawachi told Hespress AR. “The agency’s alert was only published on its website. If a pharmacist doesn’t visit the site, they won’t see it.”

Bouazza Kherrati, president of the Moroccan Consumer Rights Federation, also urged immediate action. “This medication was pulled from the French market due to its cancer-causing content,” he said.

Kherrati warned that Ludiomil poses particular risks to elderly patients and called on Moroccan authorities to expedite a nationwide withdrawal.

The situation has renewed calls for a more robust recall system in Morocco, one that ensures timely and comprehensive removal of potentially dangerous medications, and that moves beyond relying solely on digital notices that may not reach all relevant professionals in time.