Sweden has decided to suspend the antibiotic Trovan, produced by Pfizer, from its domestic market after an EU warning last week, the country's health authority Lakermedelsverket said yesterday.

European regulators have recommended suspending marketing approval of the widely-used drug for a year after Pfizer said it had notified regulators around the world of 152 documented cases of serious liver damage associated with its use.

The European move followed a decision by US regulators to limit prescriptions of the drug. Canada also said it was urging doctors in that country to limit use of Trovan to serious life-threatening infections treated in hospital.