Tokyo - Japan's Health Ministry on Friday ordered the Japanese arm of Swiss pharmaceutical group Novartis AG to suspend work for 15 days for failing to report drug side effects.
The business suspension order will stop Tokyo-based Novartis Pharma KK from selling most of its drugs from March 5 to 19.
In December, Novartis Pharma admitted its failure to report a total of 3 264 cases of patient health problems possibly caused by the adverse effects of about two dozen company drugs.
Drugmakers are required to report serious side effects to the ministry within a maximum of 30 days after they are found.
The suspension order came after the company in July was accused of manipulating data in favour of its blood pressure drug Diovan.
Sapa-dpa