SC gives govt 10 days to set up drugs watchdog

Apex court told that another medicine, Alfagril, also declared substandard; Lahore labs cleared of offence.


Our Correspondent February 07, 2012

ISLAMABAD:


Following the death of over a hundred patients of the Punjab Institute of Cardiology (PIC) due to contaminated medicines, the Supreme Court on Monday directed the relevant authorities to ensure the establishment of a drug regulatory body within 10 days.


A three-member bench of the apex court, headed by Justice Tassaduq Jilani, resumed the hearing of the suo motu case on Monday. The court was told that contaminated IsoTab tablets were responsible for the loss of lives. The court was also told that a laboratory test had determined that IsoTab – a medicine manufactured by Efroze Chemical Industries – caused the reaction.

Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) Director Azam Khan said that three cases were registered by his agency after a letter was received from Director of the Interior Ministry’s Crisis Management Cell Farid Ahmed Khan. In the letter, the FIA was asked to conduct an investigation into the medicine disaster. As a result, a team comprising federal drug inspectors and FIA officials was constituted, he added.

The chemicals factory was closed after a raid which included inspecting the premises and staff. The three pharmaceutical laboratories in Lahore which were originally suspected of foul-play have been cleared of any criminal offence. However, a medicine called Alfagril produced by one of the laboratories has been declared substandard.

Justice Jilani also said that the production department of Mega Pharma had been unlawfully sealed. Punjab Advocate General Ashtar Ausaf, however, clarified that the department was closed only to obtain samples, adding that production would not be disallowed.

In response to a court query, the FIA director submitted that the investigation officer in the case would recommend cancellation of cases against pharmaceutical companies who are declared to be in the clear. Justice Jilani asked the government to take steps to ensure that the reputation of these companies, damaged by the scandal, is restored.

During the hearing, the court observed that the FIA report indicates that cases were lodged based on newspaper reports, as the agency was not aware of which medicines caused the deaths at the time of case registrations. FIA officials informed the court that there had been pressure from the interior ministry to pursue the cases.

The court also directed that a copy of the court order be sent to all four provincial chief secretaries and adjourned the hearing till February 17.

Published in The Express Tribune, February 7th, 2012.

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