Since the year 2000, ten studies focusing on cutaneous immuno-allergic adverse drug effects have been carried out by the French regional pharmacovigilance centers. As a result, several drug products, including the sedative phenobarbital, topical chloproethazine ((Neuripl¨¨ge? cream), propacetamol and topical bufexamac, have been withdrawn from the market. Concerning other drugs, such as patent blue, minocycline, pholcodine, and strontium ranelate (Protelos?), the studies have led to changes in security information or conditions of use. After three successive surveys, the decision to withdraw topical ketoprofen from the French market was finally cancelled by the European Medicines Agency. Requests for re-evaluation of the risk-benefit ratio of two drugs has been made at the European level and they are presently being undertaken; they concern strontium ranelate, the cause of hypersensitivity syndromes, and the antitussive pholcodine, suspected of inducing anaphylaxis to neuromuscular blocking agents (curares).
