Curbing purchase of substandard medicines: Punjab government told to apprise court of measures

The Lahore High Court here Monday directed the Punjab government to apprise the court about its steps to change policy to purchase medicines. The court issued this order while holding proceedings in a petition seeking constitution of judicial commission to investigate about the deaths due to use of adulterated medicines given by the Punjab Institute of Cardiology (PIC).
Earlier Additional Inspector General Zulfiqar Hameed, appearing before the court, submitted that they have found irregularities in purchasing the medicines by the PIC. He said a tablet, which was available in market for Rs 20, the PIC purchased just for Rs 0.75.
At this the court remarked that it would not let any one to play with human lives.
Zulfiqar Hameed also submitted a report before the court. He informed the court that they found substandard medicines from two factories including Efroze Chemical Company Karachi. He said, however, no owner of the company could be arrested as they have taken protective bails from Sindh High Court. He said going through the record of the PIC, it seemed that they did not get the medicines checked from drug test laboratory.
The court also directed the investigation team, holding inquiry into the matter, to inform the court about the responsible in selling spurious drugs by next date of hearing on February 22.
Following the court directions, Punjab health secretary also submitted a detailed report regarding the present situation in hospitals about the patients effected by the spurious drugs.
He said from December 23 to February 11, total 929 patients were affected by this medicine admitted in different hospital of the provinces.