Attention heart patients: Government sends SMS alert on defective drugs

Sindh started an SMS service on Thursday to alert cardiac drug users/

KARACHI: The health ministry in Sindh started an SMS service on Thursday to alert cardiac drug users given the tragedy that has struck Lahore.

The office is disseminating a message on the identified drugs, their generic and market names and the batch numbers. “Please be informed that the following batch numbers of drugs are being tested by the Punjab health department in connection with severe drug reactions leading to death. If you have the following batch numbers of these drugs then do not use them,” reads the introduction, followed by the detail.

Solprin batch 535 (aspirin) 300mg, by Pharmawise Lahore Alfagril (clopidogril) 75 mg, by Alfa pharma Lahore  Cardiovastin (simvastatin) 20 mg, batch number 11E451 – 11L710 – 11L686 – 11G585, by Mega pharma Atenolol 100 mg, batch number 110, by Zafa pharmaceuticals Karachi Corcont 5 mg, (amlopidipine by besylate) batch number 24-25-27-28, by Swiss pharma Karachi Isotab (Isosorbide mono nitrate), batch numbers J098 – J100 – J101, by Efroze pharma Karachi.

In addition, the Sindh health secretary, Hashim Raza Zaidi, held a meeting on Thursday evening with the drug inspection committee to form a strategy for dealing with the threat.

The chief drug inspectors, five divisional inspectors and other people concerned were present at the meeting. The drug inspectors have been asked to re-collect the drugs of the specified batches. Talking to The Express Tribune, the secretary said that these samples will be sent again to the provincial drug testing laboratory. Meanwhile, there are alternate drugs by other companies that the doctors can prescribe, he added.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 27^th, 2012.