DRAP has flagged 11 batches of six medicines following quality testing in Karachi and directed pharmacies and health authorities in Sindh to take action.
The Drug Regulatory Authority of Pakistan (DRAP) has issued a public health warning over 11 batches of medicines manufactured by Karachi-based City Pharma Laboratories after laboratory testing reportedly found that the products failed to meet required quality standards.
The alert identifies six medicines as fake or substandard and warns that their use could pose health risks because their quality and effectiveness may be uncertain. DRAP has directed pharmacies and medical stores to stop selling the affected batches, while provincial and district health authorities in Sindh have been instructed to take action to remove the identified products from the market.
According to the supplied report, the Central Drug Testing Laboratory (CDTL) in Karachi tested samples of the medicines and found that they did not comply with the required quality standards.
The affected products include Exoran injections in 500-milligram and 1-gram strengths, along with Exit injections in the same strengths. The report states that two batches of Exoran and six batches of Exit were declared fake or substandard.
Both products are used to treat bacterial infections, making the reported quality concerns particularly relevant for patients receiving antibiotic treatment.
The alert also identifies Brexin tablets, specifically batch number W 68 C, as fake. The report alleges that City Pharma Laboratories manufactured the product under the name of multinational pharmaceutical company GSK (GlaxoSmithKline).
The warning further refers to sterile water for injection and other sterile products that reportedly failed to meet quality requirements. Sterile pharmaceutical products must meet stringent manufacturing and sterility standards, as contamination can lead to serious complications.
DRAP’s instructions require pharmacies and medical stores to stop selling the affected batches. Health authorities in Sindh have also been directed to take steps to ensure that the identified products are removed from the market.
Consumers are advised to check the batch numbers printed on medicine packaging and consult a pharmacist or health care professional if they suspect they have purchased an affected product. Anyone who has already used a potentially affected medicine should seek professional medical advice, particularly if unusual symptoms develop.
The report also refers to other recent medicine-quality alerts in Pakistan, highlighting concerns about counterfeit and substandard pharmaceutical products.
Consumers, pharmacists and health care providers should consult official DRAP notifications to confirm the exact product names, batch numbers and recommended actions before making decisions about individual medicines.
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