Nationwide Safety Alert Issued by DRAP On September 10, 2025, the Drug Regulatory Authority of Pakistan (DRAP) released a rapid alert following alarming reports from provincial drug testing laboratories. Multiple pharmaceutical products have been declared spurious, falsified, and substandard—posing serious risks to public health across the country.

What Triggered the Alert? Provincial labs, including those in Rawalpindi and Multan, identified several drug samples falsely labeled as being manufactured by licensed pharmaceutical companies. These products were found to either contain no active pharmaceutical ingredients or dangerously low levels, rendering them therapeutically ineffective.

List of Affected Medicines Among the falsified products are widely used medications such as:

  • Tablet ONSET-8 (Ondansetron 8mg)
  • Capsule Nexum (Esomeprazole 40mg)
  • Capsule Maxflow-D (Tamsulosin HCl)
  • Capsule Azomax 250mg (Azithromycin)
  • Tablet Rigix (Cetirizine 10mg)
  • Tablet Fexet 120mg (Fexofenadine)
  • Capsule Zetro 250mg (Azithromycin)
  • Tablet Duphaston (Dydrogesterone 10mg)
  • Tablet Danzen DS (Serratiopeptidase)
  • Tablet Terbisil (Terbinafine 250mg)
  • Tablet Prism 10mg (Escitalopram)
  • Capsule Gabica 300mg (Pregabalin)
  • Tablet Ativan 2mg (Lorazepam)
  • Injection ONSET 4ml (Ondansetron 2mg/ml)
  • Tablet Azomax 500mg (Azithromycin)

These products were either recovered from unauthorized individuals or found to be misbranded and substandard during lab testing.

Health Risks and Public Safety Concerns The falsified medicines pose grave risks, including:

  • Lack of therapeutic effect
  • Treatment failure
  • Disease progression
  • Life-threatening complications for critical patients

DRAP warns that these products may lead to serious health outcomes, especially for individuals relying on them for chronic or acute conditions.

Regulatory Action and Surveillance Measures DRAP has instructed its Regulatory Field Force and provincial drug control departments to:

  • Confiscate all stocks of the listed products
  • Investigate supply chains and unauthorized distributors
  • Remove falsified medicines from circulation immediately

Pharmacists, chemists, and healthcare professionals are urged to inspect their inventories and report any suspicious products to DRAP.

Advice for Healthcare Professionals Medical professionals should maintain heightened vigilance across all supply chains. Any adverse reactions or quality issues linked to these products must be reported to national or provincial pharmacovigilance centers using the official Adverse Event Reporting Form.

Guidance for Consumers Consumers are strongly advised to:

  • Avoid using the listed products
  • Consult healthcare providers if they’ve used any of the affected medicines
  • Purchase medicines only from licensed pharmacies
  • Verify packaging and batch numbers for authenticity

If you suspect a product is falsified, report it to DRAP or your local health authority immediately.

Conclusion This alert highlights the urgent need for robust pharmaceutical oversight and public awareness. DRAP’s swift response aims to safeguard public health and restore trust in Pakistan’s healthcare system. Stay informed, stay vigilant, and always verify the source of your medications.