ISLAMABAD: The Drug Regulatory Authority of Pakistan (DRAP) as a part of its efforts to eradicate the market of spurious drugs, Wednesday, cautioned the people against using multiple medicines which have been declared fake by the provincial testing laboratories.
The DRAP, following information, started a crackdown on all such products and has issued rapid alert/ recall alerts directing the National Regulatory Field Force (NRFF), Provincial Drug Control Departments, pharmacists, chemists in distribution, pharmacies/ medical stores, healthcare professionals, physicians, pharmacists, nurses at hospitals/ clinics and general public to stop the use of purchase, sale, prescription and use of following drugs.
Drug testing laboratories from provinces have informed the DRAP that the samples of above mentioned products have been declared the list of “spurious” drugs.
It said Drug Testing Laboratories of Rawalpindi, Multan, Faisalabad and Gilgit-Baltistan declared following medicines ‘spurious’ as defined under clause (i) of subsection (z-b) of Section 3 of the Drugs Act, 1976: (i) Brexin Tablet each tablet contains of Piroxicam-e-Cyclodextrine as Lyophilized e.q to Piroxicam 20mg with batch number 1192087, purported to be manufactured under license of Chiesi Farmaceutici SPA, PARMA-ITALY Marketed by Chiesi Pharmaceuticals (Pvt) Ltd, Lahore.
(ii) Tablet Zetro 500mg (Reg. # 053120), Each film coated tablet contains of Azithromycin as dihydrate 500 mg with batch number F18031, purported to be manufactured under M/s Getz Pharma (Private) Limited Plot # 01, Sector 25, Korangi Industrial Area, Karachi (DML# 000933).
(iii) Tablet TONOFLEX-P Each Film Coated Tablet Contains of Tramadol HCl 37.5mg and Paracetamol 325mg batch number KFM145, purported to be manufactured under M/s Sami Pharmaceuticals (Pvt) Ltd, F-95, S.I.T.E. Karachi (DML# 000072).
(iv) Tablet EFASTON, each film coated tablet contains Dydrogesterone 10mg batch number 41160 purported to be manufactured under M/s Lahore Chemical and Pharmaceutical Works (Private) Limited, 137- Ferozepur Road, Lahore (DML# 000064).
(v) CAPSULE CEFSPAN 400mg contains of Cefixime 400mg batch number F0580, purported to be manufactured under M/s Barrett Hodgson Pakistan (Pvt) Ltd F/423 SITE, Karachi.
(vi) CAPSULE ICON 100mg contains of Itraconazole pellets eq to itraconazole 100mg batch number 241694, purported to be manufactured under M/s Ferozsons Laboratories Ltd. Amangarh Nowshera (DML #000038).
(vii) Tablet NOVIDAT contains of Ciprofloxacin Hydrochloride eq to Ciprofloxacin 500mg batch number FIM147 Purported to be manufactured under M/s Sami Pharmaceuticals (Pvt) Ltd F-95, Off Hub River Road, SITE Karachi (DML # 000072).
(viii) Tablet Augmentin 625mg, each film coated tablet contains of Amoxicillin as trihydrate 500 mg and Clavulanic Acid as potassium salt 125mg batch number 7F4W, purported to be manufactured under M/s GlaxoSmithKline Pakistan Limited, F/268, S.I.T.E. Karachi (DML# 000233).
(x) Capsule Gabica 300mg contains of Pregabalin 300mg batch number 403C27, purported to be manufactured under M/s Getz Pharma (Private) Limited 29-30/27 Korangi Industrial Area, Karachi (DML# 000284) (recovered from peddler/ hawker).
(xi) Imcomox Capsule contains of Amoxycillin trihydrate eq to Amoxycillin (U.S.P) 500mg batch number 08, purported to be manufactured under M/s IMCO Pharmaceutical Labs 73-Industiral Estate, Hayatabad, Peshawar (DML # 000317).
(xii) Omnidol NU Tablet contains of Paracetamol 500mg and Caffeine 65mg batch number 1220, purported to be manufactured under M/s Olive Laboratories. Plot No.52-S-6 National Industrial Zone Rawat Rawalpindi (000524).
All the above mentioned purported drug products are confirmed as falsified/ spurious, as its packaging falsely claims that it was manufactured by a licensed pharmaceutical company— whereas it was not. Laboratory testing has revealed that the product contains no active pharmaceutical ingredient, resulting in complete lack of therapeutic effect.
Such falsification poses a serious risk to public health, potentially leading to treatment failure, disease progression, and even life-threatening outcomes, particularly for patients relying on these medications for critical care. The public is strongly advised not to use these purported drug products and to report any suspicious or unverified medicines to DRAP immediately.
The manufacturers are directed to immediately recall the defective batches of products from the market. The field force under the administrative control of DRAP and Provincial Drug Control departments have been directed to immediately conduct market surveys for detection of the presence and removal of the mentioned batches from the market.
The regulatory field force of DRAP and provincial drug control departments have been directed to immediately conduct market surveys for detection and removal of these products from the market.
All pharmacists and chemists working at distributors and pharmacies should immediately check their stocks and stop supplying these products. The remaining stocks should be quarantined, and the information of their supplier should be immediately provided to their area drug inspector to ensure the removal of falsified product.
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