In a significant crackdown on counterfeit pharmaceuticals, authorities in Pakistan have uncovered a large-scale operation involving the production and distribution of fake international medicines.
The Punjab government has banned two batches of counterfeit drugs from sale and use, intensifying efforts to combat the issue. The Punjab Drug Control Directorate conducted raids in multiple cities, revealing that these fake drugs were falsely labeled with addresses in France and Germany and distributed to various locations.
The Drug Regulatory Authority of Pakistan (DRAP) identified two counterfeit batches: Ketamine Injection (500 mg), mislabeled with the address of Pan Pharma, France, and Ocrevus Solution (300 mg), falsely linked to Roche Diagnostics, Germany.
Roche Pakistan confirmed the counterfeit batch, while Roche Global reported that the original batch was shipped to Turkey in 2020. DRAP issued a recall alert for these medicines, warning that their usage could pose serious health risks due to unknown quality and efficacy.
The Punjab government has been instructed to enhance surveillance, investigate the supply chain, and eliminate counterfeit drugs from the market through its regulatory field force. This development underscores the ongoing challenges in ensuring the safety and integrity of pharmaceuticals in the region.
