LAHORE – Most patients walking into pharmacies had no idea that some of medicines on the shelves might not be what they claimed to be. But, a recent alarm was raised when routine testing by Punjab Drug Control Board revealed that several commonly sold medicines, including cough syrup, pain-relief injections, and multivitamin supplements, were either fake or failed to meet safety standards.
A serious public health warning has been issued after the Punjab Drug Control Board uncovered the sale of counterfeit and substandard medicines in various parts of the province. The alarming discovery has prompted authorities to order the immediate recall of five medicines, including cough syrups, pain-relief injections, and multivitamin supplements.
According to officials, Lab tests conducted by the Punjab Health Department revealed that several batches of these medicines were either counterfeit or failed to meet required pharmaceutical quality standards. The department has directed medical stores across Punjab to remove the affected products from their shelves immediately to prevent further distribution.
The investigation found that certain bone and calcium multivitamin supplements being sold in pharmacies were completely fake. These counterfeit multivitamins were reportedly manufactured by a pharmaceutical company based in Islamabad and had already reached multiple medical stores.
In another troubling finding, a commonly used cough syrup was declared substandard and adulterated, raising concerns about its safety for patients. Tests also revealed that a pain-relief injection contained foreign particles, making it unsafe for use. Authorities confirmed that the pain injection was manufactured in Lahore, while the cough syrup originated from Karachi.
The report further exposed quality issues in the veterinary medicine sector. Two injections intended for animal treatment were also found to be substandard, as the quantity of their active ingredients did not meet the required standards. These veterinary drugs were produced by pharmaceutical companies operating in Lahore and Karachi.
