Recall Alert
| DRUG PRODUCT DECLARED SUBSTANDARD BY DRUG TESTING LABORATORIES, PUNJAB. |
| DRAP Alert No | No I/S/03-26-22 |
| Action Date | 14 April, 2026. |
| Target Audience | – National Regulatory Field Force. – Healthcare Professionals – Physicians, Pharmacists, and Nurses at hospitals and clinics – General Public |
| Problem / Issue | Drug Testing Laboratories of Punjab Province informed that the samples of below mentioned drug products have been declared as ‘Substandard ’. |
Therapeutic Goods (s) Affected: –
| S# | Product Name | Batch | Manufacturers | Remarks |
| 1. | Injection. Cara-Doba Each 5 ml ampoule contains: Dobutamine HCl USP eq to Dobutamine … 250 mg (Reg # 054987) | 26A037 & 25J016 | M/s Caraway Pharmaceuticals. Plot No. 12 Street No. N-3 National Industrial Zone (RCCI) Rawat. (DML # 000629) | The Sample is declared as “SUB-STANDARD” on the basis of Visible Particulates in Injections and Assay Test. |
| 2. | EPHASEF 1G Powder for Injection Each Vial contains: 1g Sterile Cephradine U.S.P. (Reg # 044343) | EM073 | M/s E-Pharm Laboratories. A-40 S.I.T.E Super Highway North Karachi (DML # 000598) | The sample is Sub-Standard with regards to Sterility test. |
| 3. | IPROLAC Injection 30mg/mL Each 1mL contains: Ketorolac Tromethamine ….30mg ( Reg # 112065) | 25L048 | M/s Ipram International. Plot # 26 SS-3 National Industrial Zone Rawat. (DML # 000551) | The above sample is SUB-STANDARD, on the basis of Sterility test performed as per USP, and MISBRANDED on the basis of The Drugs Act, 1976, 3 (s) (iv). Product label bears, product specs: whereas monograph of exists in USP 2025, which manufacturer failed to provide is “Ketorolac specifications” from registration board. not Innovator’s Tromethamine Specifications prescribed on the approval letter of injection” label, and “Innovator’s |
| 4. | Injection Metiver Each 1ml ampoule contains: Mecobalamin…….500mcg (Reg # 098031) | 25J438 | M/s Iqra Pharmaceuticals. Plot No. 2, Street No. S-9, RCCI, Rawat (DML # 000899) | The sample is declared as “SUB-STANDARD” on the basis of Assay Test & “ADULTERATED” as per section 3 (a) (iv) of The Drugs Act 1976 (Cyanocobalamin is Identified). |
| 5. | MECOJIN Injection Each Ampoule contains: Mecobalamin JP ……500mcg (Reg. # 124090) | 25A082 | M/s Islam Pharmaceuticals. 7KM, Pasrur Road, Sialkot (DML # 000885) | The sample is declared as “Adulterated” as per section 3 (a) (iv) of The Drugs Act 1976 (Cyanocobalamin is Identified). |
| 6. | Sporex Injection 50ml Each Vial Contains: Sterile Powder of Ceftriaxone Sodium USP eq. to Ceftriaxone 250mg (Reg. # 055202) | 98101 | M/s Raazee Therapeutics (Pvt) Ltd. 48-Km Lahore Kasur Road Kasur. (DML # 000437) | The sample is Sub-Standard with regards to Sterility. |
| 7. | Neocobal Injection 0.5 mg/ml Each 1ml ampoule contains: Mecobalamin…….500mcg (Reg # 071447) | S-2988 | M/s Pulse Pharmaceuticals (Pvt) Ltd. Mozay Badoke Raiwind Road (Sua Asil Road) Lahore. (DML # 000564) | The sample is declared as “sub-standard” on the basis of Assay Test & “ADULTERATED” as per section 3 (a) (iv) of The Drugs Act 1976 (Cyanocobalamin is Identified). |
| 8. | Sidofenac Injection Each 3 ml contains Diclofenac Sodium 75 mg (Reg # 086452) | DI0016 | M/s N.S Pharma. Plot No. 576-577, Sunder Industrial Estate, Lahore. (DML # 000869) | The sample is Sub-Standard with regards to Description (Visible Particulates In Injections). |
| 9. | Injection Hicobal Each Ampoule contains: Mecobalamin JP ……500mcg (Reg # 032320) | HT13437 | M/s Himont Pharmaceuticals (Pvt) Ltd. 17-Km Ferozepur Road Lahore. (DML # 000231) | The sample is declared as “sub-standard” on the basis of Assay Test & “ADULTERATED” as per section 3 (a) (iv) of The Drugs Act 1976 (Cyanocobalamin is Identified). |
| Risk Statement: | The use of these substandard, adulterated, and misbranded injectable products poses serious health risks, including treatment failure, severe infections, hypersensitivity reactions, and potential life-threatening complications due to lack of sterility, incorrect active ingredients, or presence of particulate matter. Patients receiving critical care, antibiotics, pain management, or vitamin B12 therapy may experience worsening of their medical condition or unexpected adverse effects. Hospitalized patients, individuals receiving injectable antibiotics, cardiac support drugs, pain management injections, and patients treated for Vitamin B12 deficiency particularly those in intensive care units, emergency settings, and immunocompromised populations. |
| Action Initiated | – The regulatory field force of DRAP and Provincial Drug Control departments has been directed to immediately conduct market surveys for detection and removal of these products from the market. – All pharmacists and chemists working at distributors and pharmacies should immediately check their stocks and stop supplying these products. The remaining stocks should be quarantined and returned to the supplier/company. –Distributors and pharmacies are advised to be vigilant and report any suspected batch of the product(s) in the supply chain to the DRAP using the online form, or by Email at gsms∂dra.gov.pk. –Regulatory field force of all federating units (DRAP, Provincial Health Departments, and States) has also increased the surveillance in the market to ensure the effective recall of defective product(s). |
| Advice for Healthcare Professionals | DRAP requests to enhance vigilance within the supply chains of institutions/pharmacies/healthcare facilities likely to be affected by this defective batch of the product. -Adverse reactions or quality problems experienced with this product may be reported to the National Pharmacovigilance Centre(NPC), DRAP using the Adverse Event Reporting Form or online through this link. -Please click here for further information on problem reporting to DRAP. |
| Advice for Consumers | -Consumers should stop using these product bearing the affected batch number(s). They shall contact their physician or healthcare provider(s) if they have experienced any problem that may be related to using this product. -All therapeutic products must be obtained from authorized licensed pharmacies /outlets. Their authenticity and condition should be carefully checked. If you have any doubts, please seek advice from your pharmacist. |
