Nine Cancer Drugs Declared Fake and Illegal in Karachi
KARACHI:** Nine medicines used in the treatment of cancer have been declared fake, unregistered, or substandard following laboratory testing in Sindh, raising serious concerns about patient safety.
According to the **Sindh Drug Testing Laboratory**, the medicines were found to be either non-compliant with quality standards or not legally registered.
Speaking on the matter, **Director of the Sindh Drug Testing Laboratory, Syed Adnan Rizvi**, said action had been initiated based on the laboratory’s findings.
Rizvi stated that some of the tested cancer medicines did not contain the required active pharmaceutical ingredient, while others lacked a valid registration number from the **Drug Regulatory Authority of Pakistan (DRAP)**.
He also alleged that some oncologists specify particular pharmacies on their prescriptions, leaving patients with little choice but to purchase medicines from those outlets.
Rizvi warned that fake and substandard cancer medicines pose a serious threat to patients’ lives, as ineffective drugs can compromise treatment and increase the risk of disease progression.
Authorities are expected to continue investigations and take regulatory action against those involved in the distribution of counterfeit or unregistered medicines.
