DO NOT buy these medicines- Punjab issues alert

The Directorate of Drugs Control (DDC) of Punjab has issued a medicine recall for several batches of four medicines circulating in provincial markets after drug testing authorities declared them “substandard”, raising concerns over potential health risks for patients.

In a public notice, the DDC Punjab said the affected medicines failed laboratory testing conducted by the Drug Testing Laboratories Punjab.

The Provincial Quality Control Board subsequently ordered an immediate recall of the identified batches from the market.

Medicines Included in Recall

The recalled products include injectable water solutions and infusion medicines manufactured by pharmaceutical companies based in Islamabad, Lahore, Bannu, and Multan.

According to the notice, the following products have been recalled:

Water for Injection 10 mL: Batch No. B26413, expiry January 2030.

Water for Injection 5 mL : Batch No. 20336, expiry October 2028.

Infusion Promass 100 mL (Paracetamol 1g/100mL): Batch No. 042, expiry October 2027.

Infusion Brzole 100 mL (Metronidazole 500mg/100mL): Batch No. 25081, expiry October 2027.

The Punjab health authorities said three of the products were classified as substandard after failing the ‘Bacterial Endotoxins Test’, while one infusion product failed a ‘Visible Particles’ test.

Officials warned that such deficiencies could pose potential risks to patient safety, particularly for injectable medicines administered in healthcare facilities.

Immediate Recall Ordered

Authorities directed manufacturers and market authorization holders to immediately remove the affected batches from pharmacies, medical stores, hospitals, and distribution networks.

The notice instructed companies to submit full distribution records, conduct root cause investigations, and prepare corrective and preventive action reports for regulators, including the Drug Regulatory Authority of Pakistan (DRAP).