Karachi: The President of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Sindh, Haleem Adil Sheikh, has raised serious concerns about the widespread availability of counterfeit flu vaccines and medicines in Pakistan, particularly in Karachi. He has urged for immediate action against those involved, highlighting the inefficacy of current regulatory oversight mechanisms.

According to Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf, Haleem Adil Sheikh has pointed out that the Drug Regulatory Authority of Pakistan (DRAP) has declared certain batches of flu vaccines counterfeit. Affected pharmaceutical companies have confirmed that some batches were neither imported nor distributed in Pakistan and were not part of the authorized supply chain. Sheikh stressed that the counterfeit products pose unknown health risks to consumers.

The issue of fake medicines in Sindh has reached critical levels, with tests from the Sindh Drug Testing Laboratory revealing that 15 medicines and healthcare products in Karachi are substandard, counterfeit, or unregistered. Additionally, seven batches of six commonly used medicines have been identified as fake, lacking the active ingredients claimed on their packaging.

Sheikh emphasized the need for a comprehensive investigation into how these fake medicines and vaccines are infiltrating the market and called for emergency inspections of pharmaceutical markets, pharmacies, warehouses, and supply chains nationwide. He insisted on the immediate seizure of counterfeit batches and the arrest of individuals involved in their production and distribution.

He further demanded transparency from authorities on the extent of counterfeit products in the market and the potential impact on public health. Sheikh urged the government to take decisive actions beyond issuing warnings, emphasizing that those endangering public health through counterfeit medicines should face strict accountability.