2012 Pakistan fake medicine crisis

Drug fraud A fake medicine crisis at the Punjab Institute of Cardiology (PIC) hospital in Lahore, in Pakistan's Punjab province, claimed the lives of over 100 heart patients in late January 2012. According to various reports, the incident involved patients who had been receiving treatment at the hospital and had been prescribed with counterfeit antihypertensive medicines.http://www.thenews.com.pk/article-32278-69-die-from-substandard-medicine- About 100 people have died from spurious antihypertensives in Lahore Thenews.com.pk 2012-01-24 2012-01-31 2014-10-16 https://web.archive.org/web/20141016160155/http://www.thenews.com.pk/article-32278-69-die-from-substandard-medicine- dead The Federal Investigation Agency carried out an inquiry into the incident, and identified the factory of Efroze Chemicals in Karachi as the producer of the Isotab tablets contaminated with pyrimethamine.WHO says drug caused PIC deaths The factory was sealed, and the names of the factory owners were put on the Exit Control List (ECL). Crisis In mid-January 2012, several cardiac patients registered with the Punjab Institute of Cardiology (PIC) started showing up at different public and private hospitals in Lahore after having a sudden drop in platelets and white blood cells and bleeding from different parts of the body. The doctors initially took the symptoms as that of dengue outbreak that had hit the city in the fall of 2011. However, it was soon realized that the symptoms were seen in a PIC cohort and were more consistent of a drug reaction. Suspect drugs included Isotab (isosorbide mononitrate), Lipitor (atorvastatin calcium), Cardiovestin (simvastatin), Alfagril (clopidogrel), Concort (amlodipine), and Soloprin (aspirin). The medicines were being distributed by the hospital free of charge mainly to poor people. The total number of people who might have been at risk after taking medicine from the hospital might have been as high as 46,000 according to one report.Usman Ali 24 January 2012 PIC free medicine: As deaths soar past 80, authorities remained clueless – The Express Tribune https://tribune.com.pk/story/326824/pic-free-medicine-as-deaths-soar-past-80-authorities-still-clueless/ Tribune.com.pk 2012-01-31 The spurious medicine(s) triggered a serious adverse reaction by depositing itself in the bone marrow and ending the body's resistance. The generation of white blood cells stopped in the body. Among the symptoms of the disease were a severe chest infection, change in skin colour/pigmentation, low platelet count and blood vomiting.Web Desk 2012-01-26 Fake medicine: Unofficial death toll reaches 112 – The Express Tribune https://tribune.com.pk/story/328886/fake-medicine-unofficial-death-toll-reaches-111/ Tribune.com.pk 2012-01-31 As a result, the Department of Health constituted a high-powered committee to probe the incident. Inquiry Almost all deceased were from the Lahore area. One fatality was also recorded in Multan.Jaffery Owais https://tribune.com.pk/story/328712/free-medicine-multan-sees-first-fatality-from-contaminated-drugs/ Free medicine: Multan sees first fatality from contaminated drugs – The Express Tribune Tribune.com.pk 28 January 2012 2012-01-31 The Chief Minister of Punjab Shahbaz Sharif vowed "stern action" against those responsible and announced a compensation of Rs. 500,000 each for the affected families. The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) formed an investigation team to probe the incident on the orders of Minister for Interior Rehman Malik.Usman Ali https://tribune.com.pk/story/325520/free-medicine-saga-doctors-struggle-with-solution-as-2-more-die/ Free medicine saga: Malik directs FIA to investigate – The Express Tribune Tribune.com.pk 22 January 2012 2012-01-31 The team arrested some people reportedly involved in the distribution of the medicine. Cases were also registered against three pharmaceutical companies who made the medicine. Investigations revealed that the license in one of the three pharmaceutical laboratories which supplied the contaminated drugs to the PIC had long expired in April 2011. Despite this, the company continued to manufacture the drugs in bulk and supplied them to government hospitals and open markets.Kharal Asad https://tribune.com.pk/story/327394/free-medicine-disaster-lab-with-expired-licence-supplied-pic/ Free medicine disaster: Lab with expired licence supplied PIC – The Express Tribune Tribune.com.pk 2012-01-26 2012-01-31 As the death toll exceeded one hundred, the Lahore High Court ordered respondents involved in the case to file their replies by 30 January 2012.Web Desk https://tribune.com.pk/story/327471/free-medicine-lhc-wants-respondents-to-file-reply-by-january-30/ Free medicine: LHC orders respondents to file reply by January 30 – The Express Tribune Tribune.com.pk 2012-01-26 2012-01-31 Tests performed by the British Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) in the United Kingdom indicated that one of the five suspected drugs - Isotab - was contaminated. The report also showed that Isotab contained pyrimethamine which is in fact used for the treatment of malaria. The presence of pyrimethamine proved to be toxic.https://www.dawn.com/news/692593/pharmaceutical-firm-in-karachi-sealed-tests-in-uk-identify-drug-which-caused-havoc-in-lahore Tests in UK identify drug which caused havoc in Lahore | Newspaper Dawn.Com 2 February 2012 2012-02-04 Tests done at the Central Drugs Laboratory in Karachi also verified the presence of pyrimethamine used in certain combinations to treat malaria in a sample of the Isotab tablet (20 mg). The laboratory also declared a batch of Alfagril as substandard.https://www.dawn.com/news/692849/lahore-killer-drug-cdl-tests-also-find-isotab-adulterated CDL tests also find Isotab adulterated | Newspaper Dawn.Com 3 February 2012 2012-02-04 The FIA seized raw materials from a Karachi-based factory of Efroze Chemical Industries. The FIA also put the names of owners on the Exit Control List besides blocking the official website of Efroze Chemicals. The sealed factory was located in Korangi Industrial Area, Karachi.http://pakmed.net/college/forum/?p=31484 Isotab Contamination with pyrimethamine issu: FIA seals three firms manufacturing deadly Isotab – PakMed Info Forum Pakmed.net 2012-01-31 2012-02-04 https://web.archive.org/web/20160304092626/http://pakmed.net/college/forum/?p=31484 2016-03-04 dead Reaction The Pakistan Medical Association (PMA) condemned the lapse in quality control while acquiring medicines as the main reason for the deaths caused by the drug reaction and has demanded the federal and provincial governments to establish a drug regulatory authority. Following the incident, Sri Lanka banned its import of medicines from Pakistan as a precautionary measure.Wasif Sehrish https://tribune.com.pk/story/330774/and-the-world-reacts-sri-lanka-bans-import-of-pakistani-medicines/ Sri Lanka bans import of Pakistani medicines – The Express Tribune Tribune.com.pk 2012-01-31 2012-02-04 Moreover, the World Health Organisation issued a global drug safety alert (no.125) calling for increased vigilance on the use of Isotab manufactured by Efroze Chemicals.https://www.thenewstribe.com/2012/02/01/who-bans-pakistani-medicine-isotab/ WHO bans Pakistani medicine Isotab The News Tribe 2012-02-04 2012-02-04 https://web.archive.org/web/20120204114845/http://www.thenewstribe.com/2012/02/01/who-bans-pakistani-medicine-isotab/ usurped See also Pakistan Counterfeit consumer goods Counterfeit medications Drug fraud Health care fraud Pharmaceutical fraud References 30em Category:Counterfeit consumer goods Category:Health disasters in Pakistan Category:Pakistani commissions and inquiries Category:Pharmaceutical industry in Pakistan Category:Pharmaceuticals policy Category:2012 health disasters Category:2012 in Pakistan