World Health Organisation (WHO) alert, the Punjab government has taken decisive action by banning the production and sale of five “toxic” cough syrups. Manufactured by a Lahore-based pharmaceutical company, these syrups, namely Muco¬rid, Ulcofin, Alergo, Emi¬done Suspen¬sion, and Zincell, were found to contain high levels of alcohol. This development marks the second major drug-related scandal in the province within two months.

The WHO investigation, prompted by complaints from the Maldives, revealed that these syrups had been exported to other countries in the region. The provincial government has instructed health authorities to dispatch teams urgently, seize entire stocks of the implicated drugs from the markets, and initiate legal proceedings against the manufacturer.

This incident raises concerns, echoing a previous case in September where an adulterated injectable drug compromised the vision of over 80 eye patients in Punjab. It exposed significant flaws in the oversight of drug manufacturing and distribution processes, particularly the informal transportation methods used for delivering medicines.

Dr. Jamal Nasir, caretaker Punjab’s minister for primary and secondary healthcare, stated that the government has promptly banned the sale of these five syrups based on recommendations from the Drug Regulatory Authority Pakistan (Drap). “On the recommendation by Drap, the Punjab government has not only stopped the sale of these five syrups in the province but also decided to seal the manufacturing factory,” he affirmed.

The WHO has also identified the suspected presence of DEG and EG impurities in Batch No. B220 of Alergo syrup, manufactured by Lahore-based Pharmix Laboratories (Pvt) Ltd. This development underscores the need for stringent drug safety oversight and proactive measures to address potential public health crises.