79 drug, herbal product and syringe samples found substandard in Sindh testing

The Sindh Drug Testing Laboratory has declared 79 samples of allopathic medicines, herbal products, and auto-disable syringes as substandard, fake, or non-compliant during a province-wide quality assessment, 24NewsHD TV reported on Tuesday. 

According to the laboratory, a total of 2,461 samples collected between January and July 13 were tested, with 79 failing to meet the approved quality standards, raising fresh concerns over patient safety and the quality of medical products.

The report revealed that 30 samples of auto-disable syringes were found to be substandard or counterfeit.

These syringes are designed for single use only, but testing showed that the auto-disable mechanism in some samples was ineffective, increasing the risk of reuse. 

The laboratory warned that the reuse of syringes on multiple patients could lead to the spread of infections and compromise medical treatment.

Properly manufactured auto-disable syringes play a vital role in preventing the transmission of HIV, hepatitis, and other blood-borne diseases.

The report also found that 20 herbal products contained allopathic ingredients, while nine medicines were being sold without registration with the Drug Regulatory Authority of Pakistan (DRAP), posing potential health risks to consumers.