Pakistan: Factory making fake Hepatitis C drug raided

Assisted by the Federal Investigation Authority (FIA), personnel of the Drug Regulatory Authority of Pakistan (DRAP) raided one of the local industries in Islamabad’s Kahuta industrial area here Saturday, leading to the discovery of unlawful manufacturing of Sofasbuvir tablets, which are used for the treatment of Hepatitis C, and Everlong tablets, the registration of which has long been withdrawn.

Crackdown against unregistered, spurious and fake medicines has been intensified on the directions of Minister for Health Saira Afzal Tarar. Talking to this scribe, the minister said, “I have already announced zero tolerance for manufacturing of unregistered and spurious drugs. Several factories have been sealed and action as per law is being taken without discrimination.” She added that all field offices of DRAP in the provinces have been asked to maintain strict vigil on the criminal trade of spurious drugs and take immediate and stern action under the law.

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Pakistan: Gang busted for spurious drugs sale

The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) has arrested four accused involved in selling and manufacturing spurious drugs [Fake drugs] including injections for Hepatitis C patients.

Addressing a press conference on Saturday, FIA Punjab Director Dr Usman Anwar said FIA received information that a person, Arshad, was involved in the printing of labels, stickers etc of spurious drugs. He said a team ridded a place in Dina and arrested accused Jameel Anjum who had been getting the printed material from Muhammad Arshad of Jhelum.

The FIA director also claimed that a large quantity of printing material pertaining to spurious drugs was recovered from the spot including Injection Peg-INF, Capsule Xolox Capsule Ribasole (all used for Hepatitis C), Injection Fentin (for epilepsy), tablet Aminess (Multivitamin), machinery and stickers used for manufacturing of injection Peg-INF.

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