The Drug Regulatory Authority of Pakistan (DRAP) has imposed a ban on the sale and use of three medicines after declaring their specific batches counterfeit, as part of an ongoing crackdown on fake drugs across the country.
According to DRAP, rapid alerts were issued after testing by the Central Drug Laboratory in Karachi, and the Drug Testing Laboratory in Punjab confirmed that several products were not genuine. These include Taskeen Dard tablets (Batch 091) and Pain-Nil tablets (Batch 01).
The authority said the medicines were unlawfully manufactured and distributed by Leo Healthcare Lab and Hakeem Purana Dawakhana in Karachi, both of which were found to be operating without valid drug manufacturing licenses.
In addition, Batch No. 251986 of Duphalac syrup, a widely used medicine for stomach-related ailments, was also declared fake. DRAP noted that while the counterfeit product carries the address of Abbott Pharma Canada on its label, the legitimate manufacturer has denied any connection with the affected batch.
Warning that counterfeit medicines pose serious risks to patients’ lives and can undermine medical treatment, DRAP has directed its enforcement teams to trace suppliers, remove the fake products from the market, and seize the identified batches.
