Crackdown on unsafe medicines begins

70 substandard drugs unearthed in K-P; Punjab’s vision loss crisis spurs investigation

PESHAWAR:

Approximately 70 drugs in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) have been identified as substandard during inspections conducted by the Provincial Drug Control Cell.

Official sources told The Express Tribune that, thus far, about 1,500 drugs have been inspected in the Peshawar district alone through the use of mobile laboratories.

For the first time in the history of the province, three state-of-the-art mobile laboratories have been put into operation. These laboratories are equipped to instantly verify the authenticity and quality of drugs.

Imranullah, the person in charge of the Drug Testing Laboratory, explained that some drugs were checked on the spot during inspections, while others that raised suspicions were seized, and samples were sent to the provincial lab for further verification.

Also read: 31 deaths in hospital due to ‘shortage’ of medicines trigger outrage in India

As a result of these inspections, around 70 drugs were found to be substandard, leading to legal actions being taken against those responsible.

It’s worth noting that these mobile laboratories are being deployed to all districts in the province, with full cooperation from the district administration.

The background to this heightened scrutiny can be traced back to a serious incident in Punjab, where patients experienced vision loss due to a tainted injection.

The Drug Regulatory Authority of Pakistan (DRAP) issued a recall for Comycetin eye drops from the market, along with plans for a nationwide crackdown on substandard medicines.

The decision to recall the eye drops came after a sample from a drug inspector in Jamshoro, Sindh, was tested at the Central Drugs Laboratory (CDL) in Karachi.

DRAP has issued a red alert, strongly advising against prescribing Comycetin eye drops to patients, as their substandard form poses serious risks to patients’ vision and overall health.

To address these issues, DRAP has directed the manufacturer of Comycetin eye drops to cease supplying the affected batch and withdraw it from the market.

Also read: On-alert DRAP recalls another eye medicine

Chemists have also been instructed to return any remaining stocks of the affected eye drops to the pharmaceutical company to ensure patient safety.

DRAP has been on high alert following incidents of diabetic patients in Lahore, Kasur, Jhang, and Multan districts experiencing “irreversible” vision loss after receiving Avastin injections. An investigation into these incidents is underway in Punjab.

In a recent development, DRAP has initiated a nationwide crackdown against illegal and substandard drugs, entrusting a national task force with this responsibility. The task force is collaborating closely with provincial health departments in preparation for the crackdown. Surveillance efforts are ongoing in major pharmaceutical markets across the country, including Karachi, Hyderabad, Lahore, Rawalpindi, Faisalabad, Quetta, and Peshawar, indicating potential raids in the near future.

 

Published in The Express Tribune, October 21^st, 2023.