Rapid Alert
CRACKDOWN AGAINST UNLICENSED / UNAUTHORIZED MANUFACTURERS
DRAP Alert No | No I/S/08-25-56 |
Action Date | 20th August, 2025 |
Target Audience | 1. Regulatory Field Force of DRAP and Provincial Drug Control departments. 2. Healthcare Professionals 3. Pharmacies and medical stores |
Problem Statement | Drug testing Laboratories from Provinces have informed the Drug Regulatory Authority of Pakistan that the samples of below mentioned products have been declared ‘Spurious’. The details of reports are as under: |
The product identification details are as under: –
Therapeutic Good Affected:-
S# | Product Name | Batch No. | Purported Manufacturer | Remarks |
1 | Brexin Tablet Each tablet contains: Piroxicam-β-Cyclodextrine (Lyophilized) e.q to Piroxicam……20mg | 1192087 | Purported to be manufactured underlicense of Chiesi Farmaceutici S.P.A., PARMA-ITALY Marketed by: Chiesi Pharmaceuticals Pvt. Ltd., Lahore. | Drug Testing Laboratory, Rawalpindi Punjab declared the purported drug product as ‘Spurious’ as defined under clause (i) of subsection (z-b) of Section 3 of the Drugs Act, 1976. |
2 | Tablet Zetro 500mg (Reg. # 053120) Each film coated tablet contains: Azithromycin (as dihydrate) ………………….500 mg | F18031 | Purported to be manufactured underM/s Getz Pharma (Private) Limited. Plot # 01, Sector 25, Korangi Industrial Area, Karachi (DML# 000933). | Drug Testing Laboratory, Rawalpindi declared the purported drug product as ‘Spurious’ as defined under clause (i) of sub-section (z-b) of Section 3 of the Drugs Act, 1976. |
3 | Tablet Augmentin 625mg Each film coated tablet contains: Amoxicillin (as trihydrate) …………… 500 mg. Clavulanic Acid (as potassium salt) …… 125mg. | 7F4W | Purported to be manufactured underM/s GlaxoSmithKline Pakistan Limited, F/268, S.I.T.E. Karachi (DML# 000233). | Drug Testing Laboratory, Multan declared the purported drug product as ‘Spurious’ as defined under clause (i) & (ii) of sub-section (z-b) of Section 3 of the Drugs Act, 1976. |
4 | Tablet TONOFLEX-P Each Film Coated Tablet Contains: Tramadol HCl …… 37.5 mg Paracetamol ……… 325 mg | KFM145 | Purported to be manufactured underM/s Sami Pharmaceuticals (Pvt.) Ltd. F-95, S.I.T.E. Karachi (DML# 000072). | Drug Testing Laboratory, Rawalpindi declared the purported drug product as ‘Spurious’ as defined under clause (i) & (ii) of sub-section (z-b) of Section 3 of the Drugs Act, 1976. |
5 | Tablet EFASTON Each film coated tablet contains Dydrogesterone …… 10 mg | 41160 | Purported to be manufactured underM/s Lahore Chemical & Pharmaceutical Works (Private) Limited. 137- Ferozepur Road, Lahore (DML# 000064). | Drug Testing Laboratory Rawalpindi declared the purported drug product as ‘Spurious’ as defined under clause (i) & (ii) of sub-section (z-b) of Section 3 of the Drugs Act, 1976. |
6 | Capsule Gabica 300 mg Each Capsule contains: Pregabalin ……… 300 mg | 403C27 | Purported to be manufactured underM/s Getz Pharma (Private) Limited. 29-30/27 Korangi Industrial Area, Karachi (DML# 000284) (recovered from Peddler / Hawker) | Drug testing Laboratory Multan declared the purported drug product as ‘Spurious’ as defined under clause (i) & (ii) of sub-section (z-b) of Section 3 of the Drugs Act, 1976. |
7 | Imcomox Capsule Each Capsule Contains: Amoxycillin trihydrate eq. to Amoxycillin (U.S.P) …. 500mg | 08 | Purported to be manufactured underM/s IMCO Pharmaceutical Labs. 73- Industiral Estate, Hayatabad, Peshawar. (DML # 000317) | Drug Testing Laboratory, Faisalabad declared the purported drug product as ‘Spurious’ as defined under clause (i) & (ii) of sub-section (z-b) of Section 3 of the Drugs Act, 1976. |
8 | Omnidol NU Tablet Each uncoated tablet contains: Paracetamol …….500mg Caffeine …………….65 mg | 1220 | Purported to be manufactured underM/s Olive Laboratories. Plot No.52-S-6 National Industrial Zone Rawat Rawalpindi. (000524) | Drug Water and Food Testing Laboratory Gilgit Baltistan declared the purported drug product as under: – For assay of caffeine, ‘Spurious’ as defined under clause (i) of sub-section (z-b) of Section 3 of the Drugs Act, 1976 & For assay of Paracetamol, ‘Substandard’ as defined under sub-section (zz) of Section 3 of the Drugs Act, 1976. |
9 | CAPSULE CEFSPAN 400 mg Each capsule contains: Cefixime………400mg | F0580 | Purported to be manufactured underM/s Barrett Hodgson Pakistan (Pvt) Ltd. F/423 SITE Karachi. (000457) | Drug Testing Laboratory Rawalpindi declared the purported drug product as ‘Spurious’ as defined under clause (i) & (ii) of sub-section (z-b) of Section 3 of the Drugs Act, 1976. |
10 | CAPSULE ICON 100 mg Each capsule contains: Itraconazole pellets eq. To itraconazole 100 mg | 241694 | Purported to be manufactured underM/s Ferozsons Laboratories Ltd. Amangarh Nowshera (DML #000038) | Drug Testing Laboratory Rawalpindi declared the purported drug product as ‘Spurious’ as defined under clause (i) & (ii) of sub-section (z-b) of Section 3 of the Drugs Act, 1976. |
11 | Tablet NOVIDAT Each film coated tablet contains: Ciprofloxacin Hydrochloride eq. to Ciprofloxacin 500mg | FIM147 | Purported to be manufactured underM/s Sami Pharmaceuticals (Pvt) Ltd. F-95 Off Hub River Road, SITE Karachi. (DML # 000072) | Drug Testing Laboratory Rawalpindi declared the purported drug product as ‘Spurious’ as defined under clause (i) & (ii) of sub-section (z-b) of Section 3 of the Drugs Act, 1976. |
(Please find pictorial guidelines for identification of falsified products in the pdf version to be downloaded from link above)
Risk Statement | All the above mentioned purported drug products are confirmed as falsified/spurious, as its packaging falsely claims that it was manufactured by a licensed pharmaceutical company—whereas it was not. Laboratory testing has revealed that the product contains no active pharmaceutical ingredient, resulting in complete lack of therapeutic effect. Such falsification poses a serious risk to public health, potentially leading to treatment failure, disease progression, and even life-threatening outcomes, particularly for patients relying on these medications for critical care. The public is strongly advised not to use these purported drug products and to report any suspicious or unverified medicines to DRAP immediately. |
Action Initiated | The Regulatory Field Force has been directed to conduct surveillance activities to confiscate the abovementioned Un-Registered/falsified product. All Pharmacists, chemists, and other healthcare professionals working at distributions, pharmacies, healthcare facilities, and other aspects of the supply chain system should immediately check the stock, and information related to the suppliers of such products should be provided to the Regulatory field force (DRAP, Provincial Drug Control Departments) to ensure the removal of these product from the circulation. |
Advice for Healthcare Professionals | DRAP requests healthcare professionals to have increased vigilance within the supply chains of institutions/pharmacies/healthcare facilities likely to be affected by above mentioned product. Any adverse events or quality problems experienced with the use of these products should be reported to National or Provincial pharmacovigilance centers using Adverse Event Reporting Form or online through this link. Further information on reporting problems to DRAP is available on this link. |
Advice for Consumers | Consumers should not use these products and should contact their physician or healthcare provider(s) if they have experienced any problem related to taking or using the above mentioned products and should report the incident to the Drug Regulatory Authority of Pakistan / National Pharmacovigilance Centre. All therapeutic goods must be obtained from licensed pharmacies and other authorized/licensed retail outlets. The authenticity and condition of products should be carefully checked. Seek advice from your pharmacists or other healthcare professionals in case of any doubt. |