The Sindh Drug Testing Laboratory has declared nine medicines used for cancer treatment as fake, substandard, and illegally marketed, raising serious concerns over patient safety and the circulation of unregistered medicines in the healthcare system.
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The action was taken following laboratory testing, which found that the medicines failed to meet quality standards and, in some cases, lacked mandatory registration with the Drug Regulatory Authority of Pakistan (DRAP).
According to the Sindh Drug Testing Laboratory, the medicines were found to be unregistered and substandard after undergoing laboratory analysis.
Speaking to local media, Director Sindh Drug Testing Laboratory Syed Adnan Rizvi said action was initiated based on the laboratory’s findings.
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He said some of the medicines did not contain the required active pharmaceutical ingredients, while others were being marketed without valid DRAP registration numbers printed on their packaging.
Syed Adnan Rizvi warned that counterfeit and substandard cancer medicines can have life-threatening consequences for patients.
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He said medicines lacking the required active ingredients may fail to provide effective treatment, allowing cancer to progress and reducing the chances of successful therapy.
“Fake and substandard cancer medicines pose a serious risk to patients’ lives because ineffective treatment can allow the disease to worsen,” he said.
The laboratory director also highlighted concerns regarding the availability of cancer medicines.
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According to Rizvi, some oncologists prescribe medicines that are available only through specific pharmacies, limiting patients’ choices when purchasing their treatment.
He suggested that restricted purchasing options could make it more difficult for patients to verify the authenticity of medicines or seek alternative suppliers.
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The Sindh Drug Testing Laboratory said the action was taken after its investigation identified the medicines as failing to meet required quality standards.
Authorities have not yet released further details regarding enforcement measures or the names of the medicines involved.
