Shahbaz vows to eliminate fake-drugs mafia

CM inaugurates new drug testing laboratory

LAHORE: The government will set up a Punjab forensic food and drug testing agency to improve food standards and eliminate spurious drugs and agricultural medicines, Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif said on Monday.

He was speaking at the inauguration of a model drug testing laboratory. He inspected its various sections. “Laws will be formulated for the purpose of empowering the new agency. It will be an autonomous institution,” he said.

“Unfortunately in 2010-11, a total of 100 deaths occurred due to substandard medicines in the Punjab Institute of Cardiology. The Punjab government was being held responsible for this. I want to bring to light the facts about the incident. We sent the samples of these medicines to Laboratory of Government Chemist (LGC), London and also to laboratories in France and Geneva. The People’s Party government gave these samples of drugs to the Federal Drug Testing Laboratory, which gave a satisfactory report about them. Perhaps, this was done due to the fact that the production of these medicines had been linked to federal institutions. Had these medicines been analysed by a drug testing lab in the Punjab, its result would not have been accepted. When the report of LGC, London was received, it was revealed that the medicines given to heart patients were for the treatment of malaria. They had also contained elements of malaria as well. Later, the labs of France and Geneva also authenticated this report which made it clear that the local drug testing lab was no good,” he said.

The CM said that with the inauguration of the model drug testing laboratory, the foundation of a new system had been laid in the province. “We want to check adulteration in food items and the sale of spurious drugs and substandard agricultural medicines. The mafia involved in playing with human lives through spurious and substandard medicines will be rooted out,” he said.

“The international-standard drug-testing laboratory will help eradicate substandard and spurious medicines. The latest computerised equipment and machinery have been installed in the lab. Samples of medicines will be analysed in the laboratory in accordance with international standards,” he said. The chief minister said that the laboratory was one of the best in the world.

He said that the staff working in the laboratory had received training from LGC Lab, London. “The staff for the laboratory was recruited through the Punjab Public Service Commission. The scope of these labs will gradually be expanded,” he said.

Steve Wood from LGC said that the chief minister had visited their laboratory a few months ago. “Our team came to Lahore in November, 2015 and met the chief minister who asked us for the establishment of a state-of-the-art model drug testing lab,” he said.

Finance Minister Dr Ayesha Ghaus Pasha, Adviser on Health Khawaja Salman Rafique, Chief Secretary Khizar Hayat Gondal, the IGP, the Health secretary and the Punjab Forensic Science Agency director general were present.

Published in The Express Tribune, February 16^th, 2016.