DRAP seizes fake medicines in nationwide crackdown

ISLAMABAD: The Drug Regulatory Authority of Pakistan (DRAP) seized fake medicines in a nationwide crackdown, ARY News reported on Thursday.

As per details, countrywide operations against counterfeit medicines are underway, with several batches of fake drugs seized from medical markets across Pakistan.

According to DRAP, the confiscated medicines include treatments for fever, body pain, bacterial infections, ulcers, and anxiety disorders.

Provincial Drug Control Departments carried out the raids, during which 10 counterfeit medicines were recovered from various markets.

DRAP, acting on requests from provincial health departments, has issued rapid alerts warning the public and healthcare providers.

The seized products include counterfeit antibiotics, nasal sprays, anti-allergy drugs, gastrointestinal medicines, and diuretics.

Drug testing laboratories confirmed the samples as fake, declaring that the formulations lacked authentic raw materials and had no verified efficacy, making their use potentially life-threatening.

DRAP revealed that these counterfeit medicines were illegally produced and supplied to markets under the names of well-known national and multinational brands. Labels falsely displayed company addresses from Karachi and Kasur.

Authorities have urged citizens to immediately report the presence of such fake drugs in markets. Provincial drug control directorates and regulatory forces have been instructed to intensify surveillance and enforcement measures to protect public health.