Sale of spurious medicines

Harmful contents were found in certain medicines of blood pressure control and treatment of heart diseases after the laboratory tests. The contents were declared to induce cancer. These medicines were imported from China and had been supplied to the market in Khyber Pukhtunkhwa. After the National Health Laboratory report, Drug Regulatory Authority of Pakistan (DRAP) had notified a ban in doctors’ prescriptions and subsequent sales by the pharmacy shops. But the doctors have ignored the DRAP warning and are still prescribing these medicines of blood pressure control and treatment of heart diseases.

It was for the Health Regulatory of Khyber Pukhtunkhwa to have taken robust action against the doctors who indulge in violation of ban imposed on prescribing spurious medicines and health department should have tasked its drug inspectors for initiating strong administrative and legal actions against the pharmacy shops that sell the banned medicines. It is not yet clear as to whether DRAP has not deregistered the spurious Chinese medicines and Health Division has not accordingly informed the Federal Bureau of Revenue to direct the Custom Authorities to seize the Chinese brands of medicines of blood pressure control and cardiac complaints. Statuary Revenue Order needs to be issued to stop the import of the medicines notified harmful by DRAP.