Pak's drug regulatory body takes action against counterfeit drug menace in Karachi

Karachi [Pakistan], January 3 : The Drug Regulatory Authority of Pakistan (DRAP) has taken decisive action against the proliferation of fake drugs in Karachi, aiming to curb the presence of these fake medicines in local medical stores, ARY News reported.
Following a significant operation on December 12, last year, DRAP's team conducted a raid on an illicit pharmaceutical factory in Karachi, seizing a substantial quantity of counterfeit drugs.
The central drug testing laboratory conducted thorough assessments and declared the exported medicines as counterfeit, including discrepancies in packaging, registration details, and manufacturing dates. Shockingly, it was revealed that workers in the illegal factory were affixing packaging from legitimate companies onto counterfeit antibiotic medicines, potentially making their way into the local market, according to ARY News.
In response to this alarming discovery, the details pertaining to the counterfeit medicines have been promptly forwarded to the relevant provincial office of DRAP in Sindh for further investigation and action.
DRAP officials emphasised the inherent risks associated with counterfeit medicines, stating that they are ineffective in the treatment process and pose an increased threat to patient mortality rates.
The drug regulatory authority has issued a stern warning to medicine distributors, urging them not to circulate batches of fake antibiotics in the local market, emphasising the potential harm to patients in the province.
Additionally, DRAP has directed its teams to actively seize any counterfeit drugs found in the market to prevent their consumption and mitigate the associated health risks, ARY News reported.
In December, last year, DRAP also recalled three batches of Dolor DS painkiller syrup from the market due to substandard quality.
Manufactured by Adamjee Pharmaceuticals Karachi, the Dolor DS 100mg/5mL Suspension (Batch # 1236, 1237, and 1238) was found to lack the necessary quantity of Sodium, posing potential risks to patients.
The regulatory alert issued by DRAP highlights that the deficiency in Sodium could lead to adverse reactions, causing pain in the body, weakness, throat swelling, and eye infections, according to ARY News.
DRAP is also calling upon pharmacists and chemists at distribution points and pharmacies to promptly inspect their stocks, cease the supply of the affected batch, and quarantine the remaining stock of Dolor DS for subsequent return to the supplier or the company.
The alert came as a result of potential health risks associated with the incorrect usage of the syrup, commonly employed in the treatment and prevention of iron deficiency anaemia.
According to the DRAP recall notice, the defective batch can lead to common side effects, including various gastrointestinal distress symptoms such as nausea, diarrhoea, vomiting, abdominal pain, constipation, and dark or discoloured stool. Citizens were strongly advised against using this specific batch of Weena Syrup, and the manufacturer has been directed to immediately recall the identified batch from the market, according to ARY News.
This announcement followed a ban imposed by the Punjab government on five cough syrups, prompted by a World Health Organisation (WHO) alert. The WHO investigation, initiated after a complaint from the Maldives, confirmed the presence of "excessive amounts of alcohol" in the cough syrups.