ISLAMABAD: Pakistan faces an embarrassing situation following reports of contamination in syrups and suspension medicines originating from a Lahore-based pharmaceutical company, Pharmix Laboratories (Pvt) Ltd, by the Maldives.
This development has prompted the World Health Organization (WHO) to issue an alert, urging nations to heighten their vigilance and subject products from the said company to testing.
Upon receiving information from the Maldives, the Drug Regulatory Authority of Pakistan (Drap) swiftly took action by sealing the syrup section of Pharmix Laboratories and is contemplating legal measures pending laboratory test reports. Allegedly, substances found in contaminated syrups are commonly used in hydraulic brake fluids, stamp pad inks, paints, plastics, and cosmetics.
Fayaz Ahmed, a representative of Pharmix Laboratories, confirmed the sealing of the company’s syrup section by Drap but asserted that such contamination is not intentional. He refrained from providing detailed comments on the matter at this time.
The WHO’s medical product alert highlighted five different syrups and suspension medicines initially identified in the Maldives and Pakistan, prompting notification to the organization on November 8. Some of the affected products have also been identified in Belize, Fiji, and Laos. The products in question include Alergo Syrup, Emidone Suspension, Mucorid Syrup, Ulcofin Suspension, and Zincell Syrup, with a total of 23 batches affected, all attributed to Pharmix Laboratories (Pvt) Ltd.
According to the WHO statement, the contamination was detected during screening for diethylene glycol (DEG) and ethylene glycol (EG) using thin-layer chromatography (TLC) testing for inclusion in the International Pharmacopoeia. The screening revealed potentially unacceptable levels of DEG and EG as contaminants.
An anonymous pharmacist informed a newspaper that DEG and EG are globally used in liquid preparations, such as antifreeze, hydraulic brake fluids, stamp pad inks, ballpoint pens, solvents, paints, plastics, films, and cosmetics.
Dr. Asim Rauf, CEO of Drap, explained that the Lahore-based company manufactured its products in 2021, before the issuance of protocols. Contamination has been identified in certain batches both in the Maldives and within Pakistan. Consequently, all syrups from the company are being recalled, and the syrup section has been sealed, with additional samples sent for further laboratory tests.
