The Provincial Drug Control Directorate has seized counterfeit medicines, prompting DRAP (Drug Regulatory Authority of Pakistan) to issue a rapid alert.
According to ARY News, a major crackdown against fake drugs was carried out across different regions of the country. Authorities confiscated counterfeit medicines being sold for the treatment of fever, body pain, bacterial infections, ulcers, and anxiety.
During raids, provincial drug control departments recovered 10 fake medicines from various markets. DRAP, acting on the request of provincial health departments, has issued urgent alerts to warn the public and healthcare professionals.
The seized items include fake antibiotics, nasal sprays, anti-allergy drugs, gastrointestinal medicines, and diuretics. DRAP has confirmed that counterfeit diuretics, used to remove excess water from the body, have tested fake in drug testing laboratories. Officials warned that using such medicines can be potentially life-threatening.
The alert stated that these counterfeit medicines are falsely branded under the names of national and multinational companies, with fake addresses of companies in Karachi and Kasur printed on labels.
Examples of identified counterfeit batches include:
- Azomax 500mg tablets (Batch C1699) – used for pneumonia, throat, and skin infections.
- Clarith-SR 500mg tablets (Batch 722269XV) – used for pneumonia, lung, and throat infections.
- Dietron tablets (Batch DIT) – diuretics for water removal.
- Leventos tablets 375mg (Batch LF2) and 625mg (Batches LF2, LF4) – for bacterial infections.
- Sulfera suspension 1g/5ml (Batch SL6) – for intestinal ulcers.
- Fevron nasal spray 50mcg (Batch NF4) – for allergies.
- Droxil capsules 500mg (Batch RC5) – for bacterial infections.
- Broms tablets 3mg (Batch 0007) – for anxiety treatment.
DRAP confirmed that under Drug Act 1976, Section 3, these medicines are classified as counterfeit. The fake batches were illegally manufactured and distributed in the market without raw material verification or quality standards.
Officials have urged citizens to immediately report the presence of such fake medicines in markets. Provincial drug directorates and regulatory forces have been instructed to intensify monitoring and enforcement to safeguard public health.
