The Sindh Drug Testing Laboratory has declared nine medicines used in cancer treatment as fake, illegal, unregistered or substandard after laboratory analysis found that several products either lacked the required active pharmaceutical ingredient or were being sold without approval from the Drug Regulatory Authority of Pakistan (DRAP). Authorities have initiated action against those responsible.
Speaking to Geo News, Director of the Sindh Drug Testing Laboratory Syed Adnan Rizvi said testing revealed that some of the medicines did not contain the active ingredient essential for treating cancer, making them ineffective and potentially endangering patients’ lives. He added that several products also carried no DRAP registration number, indicating they were being marketed illegally outside the country’s regulatory framework.
The medicines identified by the laboratory include Cyclophosphamide 50mg, Sorafenib 200mg, Anastrozole (Arimidex) 1mg, Lenalidomide 10mg, Chlorambucil (Leukeran) 2mg, Lenvatinib 10mg, Nintedanib 150mg, Lenvaxen 4mg and Gefitinib (Gefimed) 250mg. Officials said some samples were counterfeit while others were unregistered or failed quality standards.
Rizvi also alleged that some oncologists write the names of specific pharmacies on prescriptions, effectively limiting patients’ choice of where they can purchase expensive cancer medicines. He called for stricter monitoring of the supply chain and greater oversight of pharmacies selling high-risk medicines.
Health experts warn that counterfeit and substandard cancer medicines can lead to treatment failure, disease progression and increased risk of death because patients may unknowingly receive drugs with little or no therapeutic effect. They advise patients to purchase medicines only from licensed pharmacies and verify that products are registered with DRAP before use.
The latest findings come amid a broader crackdown on counterfeit medicines in Pakistan. Earlier this year, DRAP and the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) launched nationwide operations against illegal drug manufacturers and distributors, while the Sindh Drug Testing Laboratory previously reported dozens of substandard medicines and syringes during routine surveillance, highlighting persistent weaknesses in pharmaceutical quality control.