79 Drug, Herbal Product and Syringe Samples Fail Quality Tests in Sindh

KARACHI: (Health Reporter) – The Sindh Drug Testing Laboratory has declared 79 samples of medicines, herbal products, and auto-disable syringes as substandard, counterfeit, or non-compliant following a province-wide quality assessment.

According to the laboratory, 2,461 samples collected between January and July 13 were tested, with 79 failing to meet the required quality standards, raising concerns over patient safety and the quality of medical products available in the market.

The report found that 30 samples of auto-disable syringes were either substandard or counterfeit. These syringes are designed for single use, but testing revealed that the auto-disable mechanism in some products failed to function properly, increasing the risk of syringe reuse and the spread of infectious diseases.

Health experts warned that the reuse of syringes can contribute to the transmission of blood-borne infections, including HIV and hepatitis.

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

Authorities are expected to take regulatory action against manufacturers and distributors of the non-compliant products, while investigations into the failed samples are underway.