ISLAMABAD – The Drug Regulatory Authority of Pakistan (DRAP) has imposed an immediate ban on the sale and use of specific batches of three medicines, including Duphalac Syrup amid ongoing action against counterfeit drugs across the country.
According to DRAP, the decision was taken after testing conducted at the Central Drug Laboratory in Karachi and the Drug Testing Laboratory in Punjab, where the medicines were declared substandard and fake.
In a notification, DRAP said rapid alerts were issued following laboratory results. The banned products include Taskeen Dard Tablets (batch number 091) and Pain Nil Tablets (batch number 01).
The authority stated that these medicines were being illegally manufactured and distributed under the names of Leo Healthcare Lab and Hakeem Purana Dawakhana, both based in Karachi. DRAP clarified that neither entity holds a valid drug manufacturing license.
In another finding, DRAP reported that Duphalac Syrup (batch number 251986), commonly used for gastric disorders, was also found to be counterfeit.
According to the notification, the fake product carried an address of Abbott Pharma Canada. However, the concerned company has strongly denied any association with the mentioned batch.
DRAP officials warned that counterfeit medicines pose a serious threat to patients’ lives and can severely undermine treatment outcomes. The authority cautioned that the use of such drugs may worsen illnesses, cause unexpected adverse effects, and in some cases lead to life-threatening consequences.
