PHARMACEUTICALS

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP82-00047R000100470007-1
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: S
• Document Page Count: 3
• Document Creation Date: December 27, 2016
• Document Release Date: May 20, 2013
• Sequence Number: 7
• Publication Date: July 17, 1952
• Content Type: REPORT

Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved .for Release 50-Yr2013/05/20 : CIA-R
CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY
INFORMATION REPORT
COUNTRY Hungary
SUBJECT Pharmaceuticals
PLACE
ACQUIRED
DATE
50:00 ACQUIRED BY SOURCE
DATE OF INFORMATION
THIS DOCUMENT CONTAINS INFORMATION AFFECTING THE NATIONAL DEFENSE
OF THE UNITED STATES, WITHIN THE MEANING OF TITLE IS, SECTIONS 793
AND 794, OF THE U.S. CODE, AS AMENDED. ITS TRANSMISSION oft REV,.
CATION OF ITS CONTENTS TO OR RECEIPT MOAN UNAUTHORIZED PERSON IS
PROHIBITED BY LAW. THE REPRODUCTION CP THIS FORM IS PROHIBITED.
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DP82-00047R000100470007-1
NO. OF ENCLS.
(LISTED BELOW)
SUPPLEMENT TO
REPORT NO.
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THIS IS UNEVALUATED INFORMATION
SOURCE
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i. The pharmaceutical industry in Hungary is under the direction of
the Ministry of Health; this was also true of pharmacies and
hospitals. The distribution and inspection of drugs was under
the control of the OKI (Orszagos Koezegeszseguegyi Intezet -
State Public Health Institute). Inspection of pharmaceuticals
was handled in the following manner: the representative of the
OKI took one package of a particular series of a drug with him
from the pharmacy; he sealed another package which be left with
the pharmacist; the rest was sold to the public. The product
was then examined; if it was not up to standard, the responSible
party was punished. The inspection was considered inefficient and
subject to dangerous errors; several deaths were reported to have
been caused by improper packaging or labelling of drugs. In such
cases, the Ministry of Health would issue an order to stop the
sale of the particular series of medicine until the packages had
been checked, and tae medicine was not available until the
checking had been completed. Pharmaceutical products were
distributed to hospitals and pharmacies through a central
institution, the Oyogyszerkereskedelmi Vallaiat, located in
Kiraly utca in Budapest. Pharmacies and hospitals submitted their
requirements to the central office which then distributed the
required pharmaceuticals.
2. Pharmaceutical preparations were generally available to the
public on the presentation of a prescription. The quality of
dru7s was generally satisfactory with a few exceptions; per icillin
produced in Hungary was ineffective as compared to the US product.
Streptomycin was not produced in Hungary; it was imported from the
US by private letter requests.' Aminothiasol was quite a common
drug in Hungary. Ultraseptyl is a sulfa drug made in Hungary.
CLASSIFICATION SECRET/SECURITY INFORMATION
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DISTMBUTION
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Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release @ 50-Yr2013/05/20 : CIA-RDP82-00047R000100470007-1
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release @ 50-Yr2013/05/20 : CIA-RDP82-00047R000100470007-1
SECRET/SECURITY INFORMATION
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I do not know of a germicide agent called movidin; there was a
germicide, derived from a silver nitrate solution, not colloidal.
It was sold in tubes of 10 pastils and could be obtained only on
prescription: There were no medicines imported froth the USSR, but
some medicines were imported from Switzerland. Papaverine was
produced by Chinoin, the largest pharmaceutical plant in HungarY;
its production was reputedly one-fifth of the world's output.
Most of the papaverine produced was exported, and some, I believe,
was sent to the Sintlet,Wom I have no information on laboratories
ptoducing vaccines, scnd serum, nor do I !tTIOW which Plants 'prod.
duced alkaloid5 lthoUgh I thitikthdfle 8 SUfficilint'albahol
produced in thingati., there is a shortage because alcohol must be
exported to the USSR "like everything else," but I tal not SUPS Of?
this. Castot beanA ate gtown in Hungary for Ute in ph&PM&COUticals,
dyes, and paints, bUt I do not know whether they are uSed tor
cattle feed.
the following ate HUng&tian ph&thactUtical ffianufactUrerat
(a) Chinoin id the largest pharmaceutical plant in ItUngaryl it
is located in Td 'Oda in Ujp0Ot. ,terdte netioalintiOni
it was the property of Wolff (fnU)4 bit 2oittin Poeldi, One
of the best organic oneffilatis in HUnghty, IS the director
of one of the redearch l&hdratories; Abn,14: 50 yeard Old,
he received the kodittithprite in .g.g26 He WIC in
charge of penieillin prOduCtion, 'indin Wait the only
Hungarian prod:neer of this drug) but it was not Waridiebtly
effective and there Wad talk of discontinuing itepbduCtidhe
Chinoin was the "Ain thing&tiam ptbdticer of antiabidtidei
Other produCte ManUtacturedrby Chindint
Tiar&41filh4lentoic acid eultimide derivatives
ultfteeptY1
aspiAh
novoe&ine
;PApaveiline
pyramitdon4Oketilaiitine antipirin
benzoie acid
atropin'
para-RniMbedlt&ftided
vitamin 0
(b) Richter, in koehatlya) tuda0eSt, ranked ail one of the toy
three in pharMidedtical production in HUngOyi Aka* Ober
things, it prOdOed aMpirin1 tUlfaitide pteparatiOni, tfid
Vitamin C4
(c) Wander, located At Rididep&lot& heir ujpesti the third of
the three, produced horthones, enthetic t&terial Wring
the effect of oentrone, &nd sulf&mide Prepatationse
(d) I know that there %Ore Boat-Miller liboritoriei whia pro-
duced netacylamethYltiour&Cgl which is uded anst
hyperthyroididth, but I have no fUrther informatiton about theme
SICWWWW0t IMANAtION
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release @ 50-Yr2013/05/20 : CIA-RDP82-00047R000100470007-1
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release @ 50-Yr2013/05/20 : CIA-RDP82-00047R000100470007-1
SECRET/SECURITY INFORMATION
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Companies in Hungary in allied fields included:
Magyar Gorgyszeraru in Budapest made bandages and other
medical requisites.
(b) Orvosi Mheszer Gyar in Budapest produced bandage
and other non-pharmaceutical supplies.
(o) Der Laboratories examined medical solutions and pre-
parations, according to information I received
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I have no knowledge of pharmaceutical products kept in reserve
for emergencies; I do know that first aid kits, containing
bandages, cotton, s lints, iodine ampules, , and ammonia, were
50X1 distributed to every house, institute and factory.
I have never heard or the use of ultrasonics in the production
of anti-virus vaccines in Hungary or the USSR;
-end-
SECRET/SECURITY INFORMATION
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Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release @ 50-Yr2013/05/20 : CIA-RDP82-00047R000100470007-1