Drug reaction could claim more lives: Dr. Javed Akram

E-Paper | June 14, 2026

Dr. Akram said that the medicine may be contaminated with some heavy metal which gets deposited in the bone marrow and ultimately ends the body’s resistance.- File Photo

LAHORE: Dr. Prof Javed Akram, the head of the investigation team probing the deaths caused by a cardiac drugs has said that at least 22 people have died due to sub-standard cardiac medicines and the death toll could further rise, DawnNews reported on Sunday.

Talking to the media at Allama Iqbal Medical College, Akram said that 110 patients were admitted at hospitals in Lahore due to the usage of these medicines. He said that 50 patients were in critical condition.

Akram said that the medicine may be contaminated with some heavy metal which gets deposited in the bone marrow and ultimately ends the body’s resistance.

“At present 110 heart patients are admitted in various hospitals of Lahore and the condition of 50 of them is critical. We have withdrawn the suspected medicines and sent samples for tests.”

Akram said the committee would investigate the deaths of heart patients which occurred due to a sudden drop in white blood cells, platelets and bone marrow damage.

“The problem seems to be with just one batch of medicines provided to the Punjab Institute of Cardiology and that has been sealed,” Akram said.

Health officials said a centralised data collection centre has been set up to compile information on all heart patients and a helpline had also been provided.

He said that the medicine had been bought by the Punjab Institute of Cardiology (PIC) in December.

He said that the team has asked the pharmaceutical companies about the record of the medicines and some 24,000 to 25,000 patients have taken those substandard drugs from the government hospitals in Lahore.

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FARAHNAZ

Jan 22, 2012 05:50pm

Pharmaceutical companies can be rest assured that nothing will happen to them. No criminal proceedings, no litigation. As time goes on this story will fade as well. They know very well how to pull the strings.

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Mohsin Saeed Khan

Jan 22, 2012 06:04pm

Why dont we say what drug it is? it is incomplete story... And where is the drug testing laboratory? Why compromise on quality? Voice has to be linked with accountability. Someone will not be happy but how long can we live like this. One strong sentence on criminal charges will initiate a reaction which will positively bring us out of our slumber land statement "this is Pakistan and everyone gets away with whatever we do".

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Shakir

Jan 22, 2012 06:11pm

It's important that in this kind of reporting public is provided with the name of the drug, the name of the pharmaceutical company which made the drug and other related information like batch number and names of other drugs that could substitute for it. This will help reduce further damage.

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abu bilal

Jan 22, 2012 06:15pm

Why are not the concerned authorities publishing the name of the Drugs which are responsible for these deaths. This should be highlighted ASAP so the public in general can keep away from these fatal drugs.

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dr.asif khan

Jan 22, 2012 06:22pm

peoples are still waiting govenment to disclose the names of drugs and their manufacturers /supplier. The drugs which have been supplied in government hospitals may also be present in market as well.so a warning may be issued to doctors, and patients in general, that such drugs should not be used.

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s qamber ali shah

Jan 22, 2012 06:24pm

Right Farahnaz without problems, it is common for anyone to come out with any crime, no prosecution, no issue, what can a judge do??

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AH Mughal

Jan 22, 2012 06:31pm

Please name the drug and the company providing it!

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SHAKEELL

Jan 22, 2012 06:32pm

For someone to give out the name of the pharmaceutical company in their statements need lots of courage.Our country is not in the state of maturity yet.Criticism can start a war and/or harsh consequences. May Allah helps us all.

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Tariq Mahmood

Jan 22, 2012 06:39pm

The problems arise just because of the incentives the pharmaceutical companies offer to the Doctors who prescribe their Medicines to the patients. The Doctors receive a regular "commission" from the sales. Currently the system is so interwoven that it seems impossible to register a complain or seek litigation against any of these "giants", at least for a common man. Like all investigations, as ever, the results will never surface to the public. neither will those responsible brought to justice. We can't even have a vague hope of peace and trust. BUT as a rule of the "poetic justice", those who commit crimes always face the music. They are certainly going to pay for that in this world.

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Javaid Ishtiaq

Jan 22, 2012 06:54pm

Further to Mr Mohsin Saeed Khan's comments, I agree that our foremost moral and professional obligation is to protect our patient's lives. Therefore its absolutley necessary to declare the name(s) of the culprit drug(s), so that other patients stop taking it immediately. In fact, the patients who were started on the suspected drg(s) should be actively traced and asked to stop taking the drug. Short of this will be a clear professional negligence. We all know this. Remember Hippocratic Oath- First DO NO HARM.

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Muhammad Kashif

Jan 22, 2012 06:58pm

I extend my deeply condolences to the bereaved family on this sad demise and Pray for the families to catch patience, no doubt that ALLAH SUBHANAHU WA TALA IS SEEING EVERY ACT AND ACTION AND MASTER OF THE JUDGMENT DAY AND Congrats! Great going! keep it up! to the HEALTHCARE AND PHARMACEUTICAL INDUSTRY IN PAKISTAN: why only 22 i think we have missed real chance for Guinness record because if drone could be try here then why not these (MEDICINES OF MASS DESTRUCTION),I think now we are very much like an experimental lab or hub for the local and international players of various fields which tries their experiments on the human capital of Pakistan for free of cost and i think great news for medical store to hospital pharmacy and for the entire range of stakeholders of the healthcare and pharmaceutical industry in Pakistan because this incident has pave the way for small scale to experiments till death malfunctioning and malpractices in their respective course of operations in which from order to payment range variables are included and which provides wide range of opportunities for corruption and malfunctioning on various scales and who cares for any law and order in the country because needless to say that from law makers to law breakers everyone is corrupted and freely moving in the country without any fear so don't worry keep it up and don't forget to take your intellectual property right for this because its a highly competitive market and where copyright infringements and theft is a common practice.

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Dr SK Masood

Jan 22, 2012 07:18pm

It is deplorable that name of this medicine and company making it has not been published. Drugs manufactured in Pakistan are not scrutinized as is the norm for international standards Govt of Pakistan is to be directly blamed for its agencies to falter and play with lives of innocent people. Immediate release of name of this medicine and company is requested for people to avoid taking this drug as it is unclear how many folks are taking it throughout the length and breath of Pakistan. I would request insiders to be whistle blowers here ASAP. PMA should intervene as well in the interest of national importance. Strict guidelines for manufacture of distribution of medicine should be implemented. OTC medicine availability should be minimized to few as is done in most nations. Trained pharma graduates should be mandatory at all drug stores. Health of the whole nation is at stake otherwise. Urgent legislations should be implemented.

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R Iqubal Singh

Jan 22, 2012 07:39pm

Please identify these drugs so that Physcians and relatives become more proactive.This kind of henias activity is not uncommon in that part of world.Only few month ago many such established drug houses in western UP(India) were discovered ,hurting and killing lot of people.More money is made by making and marketing these fake/substandard drugs.Do not underestimate the power of these Legal drug Mafia.

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A. Khan

Jan 22, 2012 08:32pm

This is a drug trial gone wrong, as it generates adverse and fatal reaction in patients. Now what I would like to know is whether the patients were explained the side effects and made aware that this was a trial drug. Somehow, I think not. Its a well known fact that multinational pharmaceutical companies undertake clinical trials of drugs in third world countries in connivance with private clinic owners, leading to deaths of patients. This has happened in Indian and China. Apparently, now it is Pakistan's turn.

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Mirza

Jan 22, 2012 08:56pm

I agree , names of these medicines should be made public so that all can benefit from this mishap. I am sure that there is some kickbacks involved with this , the buying department of ministry of health, the doctors involved with approving these drugs should be charged with murder and tried in a transparent manner. Mirza

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Yawar

Jan 22, 2012 08:59pm

I agree with Farahnaz. Unfortunately nothing will happen :-(

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Sharif Husain

Jan 22, 2012 04:08pm

It is really surprising that Punjab Gvernment is not telling the name of medicine and the Company who produced this sub standard medicine. It could happen to any one in Pakistan.it is impossible to believe that this medicine was dstributed only in Lahore and no where else. I sugest a clear TV announcement for avoding this medicine at least if we do not want to tell the Pharma firm.

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Mithu

Jan 22, 2012 04:46pm

It is unfortunate and criminal that potentially a large number of people are at risk and the investigating team has not released the names of the drugs or manufacturer(s). The suspected drugs were sealed at PIC but the particular drugs could still being sold in the market and patients could be using the preexisting medicine from the same manufacturing lots. The drug manufacturer should have the sales data that could allow to assess the number of patients at potential risk. The response of investigative team is inadequate and they appear to be complicit with the culprit drug manufacturer(s). If the investigating team does not release the names of the medicines and manufacturer(s) immediately to protect the public at risk then they are criminally culpable. The investigative team should be probed for protecting the drug manufacturer(s) and a new team should be constituted, which is above board. Considering the gravity of the situation, I would strongly urge the

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Zaki

Jan 22, 2012 05:29pm

I think more wort it then Dr Akram investigation is the publication of medicine name, company name and batch no, in that way we can safe thousands of people taking the medications.

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saeed Ismat

Jan 22, 2012 05:33pm

Tell me why the so called free media is afraid of naming the drug a that has already caused 22 deaths and many more to follow. You can save a lot more lives if you name the drug batch number and the manufacturers. Its your moral obligation.

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Bakhtawer Bilal

Jan 22, 2012 10:56pm

I absolutely agree that we are still looking for the name of the drug and the manufacturing company. Furthermore, has the production been halted, has some Govt. regulatory authority sealed the particular production facility till further evaluation of the samples. Where the samples are being tested. It looks like all the news reports are just copy pasting one story.

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Syed Anwar Hasnat

Jan 22, 2012 06:35pm

Every one in Pakistan knows that we have no 2 and no3 and no4 medicines in Pakistan. I am sure that the police the administration all know about it. Thousands must have died due to these medicines. We expect that the Supreme Court take notice of these mass murders. We also know that nothing will come out of it unless there is some influential person who died due to these poisonous drugs. May God help Pakistan.

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K Rafiq

Jan 22, 2012 06:40pm

Its lousy reporting by media and a very irresponsible press release by the office of Prof. Akram. The most important thing is to mention the Name/Brand of the Meidication in question so the other Physicians and the general public become knowledgeable quickly to stem the problem and avoid further tragedy while the Prof. Politicians and the companies do their unethical dance. Put the alert on TV, Radio, Newspapers at thr Companies expense. Most important thing is to Stop that medicayion continue to administered unknowingly by the clinicians.

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Rahmat Ghaffar

Jan 22, 2012 06:55pm

Money is becoming more important than life. The criminals are playing with precious lives of patients, and every time, they get away after committing such a heinous crime. who is supporting these people, the scrupulous element spread every where. as a nation, we are corrupt morally and financially. i do not know, how can we will break this vicious cycle.

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Umer Khalid Awan

Jan 22, 2012 11:56pm

Where is the quality and control system? A joke being played with the people who trust that the medicine would bring them health. No matter how many people have died, and God knows how many more will succumb to the fate, but one thing for sure that is going to happen is that no criminal proceeding would be initiated against the culprits. It shows there is no institute that makes sure that the drug being dispatched to markets is checked before. Sorry state of the affairs...

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syed ahmed

Jan 22, 2012 07:26pm

They don't mention the name of the drug or the drug company involved, leaving every patient paranoid about the medicines they are using... is this responsible reporting?

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John

Jan 22, 2012 07:34pm

Name the drug? Before more people die! More lives will be lost only because the newspaper wants to protectors revenue

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kamran

Jan 22, 2012 08:50pm

Solprin, Zafnol, Concont, Cardiovascin and Isotab

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Abduljabbar

Jan 23, 2012 02:14am

why did not name the medicine and manufacturer? Investigative reporting is at it's best.

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Bhola Bhala Pakistan

Jan 23, 2012 04:47am

Ask Shahbaz and others concerned to "resign".Thorougly investigate the pharmaceutical company and shut it down till completion of investigation.

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Javed Suleman

Jan 23, 2012 12:42am

As per WHO, substandard medicines are products whose composition and ingredients do not meet the correct scientific specifications and which are consequently ineffective and often dangerous to the patient. Substandard products may occur as a result of negligence, human error, insufficient human and financial resources or counterfeiting. Counterfeit medicines are part of the broader phenomenon of substandard pharmaceuticals. The difference is that they are deliberately and fraudulently mislabeled with respect to identity and/or source. Counterfeiting can apply to both branded and generic products and counterfeit medicines may include products with the correct ingredients but fake packaging, with the wrong ingredients, without active ingredients or with insufficient active ingredients. It is ironical that in this situation we are not dealing with tempering of recreational medicines but life saving medicines which are supposed to save lives and not cause death. If properly investigated I am sure deep down you willl find greed leading to supply of fake medicines and eventually causing so many deaths. Maybe the Chief Justice should adjust priorities of taking Suo Moto actions and go after these death causing criminals.

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Khalid

Jan 23, 2012 12:43am

This is criminal not to reveal the name of the drug, and the investigating team is equally responsible, if any more morbidities or mortalities occur. As there would be patients continue taking the same drugs without knowing the harmful effects.

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Imran

Jan 23, 2012 07:11am

We as individuals sitting in the important positions, such as drug regulation, do not realize that our one signature could lead to one or series of deaths. 22 people, 22 lives, 22 families have suffered (that is at least, we must bear in mind the inefficient reporting system that exists in Pakistan) due to a signature that did not follow careful review and investigation. But the person incharge got a "peti' a 'kokha' or some other 'incentive' for approving the sale of this drug to the Ministry of Health. We, from all walks of life are responsible for these deaths, or any other avoidable death in the country. We should point fingers to ourselves and not others. How many decision we make each day that could risk someone's life? And how many times we weight the benefit/risk of that decision to the society and not to our own self?

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miramshah

Jan 23, 2012 08:04am

By not providing the name of the drug and the manufacturing company to the public via media, hundreds of thousands still on those meds may also suffer the deadly side effects. Would the media, then, be guilty by association?

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Adnan

Jan 23, 2012 06:14pm

Folks, untill we find out the name of drug and pharma company:) please avoid using any cardiovascular drug of any lahore based company as precautionery step .

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fatamees

Jan 24, 2012 12:29pm

The authorities must immediately notify the name of the drugs and their manufacturers. I am a cardiac patient .If i miss my medicine for two days ,my condition worsens .so I can't stop my medication but if the name of the drugs is informed ,I can shift to other equivalent.shall I have to move the courts to get information ?

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Noman

Jan 24, 2012 05:03pm

As part of corruption, often time these free medicines are sold over-the-counter in drug stores, which explains government's reluctance as to releasing names of these medicine. As far as I know following are the names: 1. Solprin 2. Zafnol 3. Concont 4. Cardiovascin; and 5. Isotab Part of the pharmaceutical company was sealed which should have been completely shut down...that is amazing!

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Dr irfan qureshi

Jan 25, 2012 04:03am

The drugs in question are most probably contaminated with some cytotoxic drug. This has caused hair loss and bone marrow failure. The drugs should be analysed and antidotes given to the affected patients. The current numbers are probably a tip of the iceberg! Hence urgent efforts are needed to get to the bottom of this. The patients may be given prophylactic antibiotics and growth factors with ciclosporin in addition to the growth factor GCSF. Folic acid will help. Supportive treatment with blood and platelets is essential. Allah hafiz

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Muhammad

Jan 25, 2012 07:15pm

its an epidemic with common source........... why to ban three different drugs from different pharmaceuticals. even if its contamination of the compound they should arrest the dealers and if so the similar physical compound (sulphate and acetate; we usually see) might be in composition of these as well as other drugs and it should have claimed more lives as these physical constitutents are part of antibiotics and also the other oral drugs. Instead of spending dollars to invite foreign doctors to investigate the cause. All dead patients should undergo postmortem examination plus PCR of vruses implicated in bleeding disorders like chikugunya, dengue or congo and also the blood levels of heavy metals and cytotoxic drugs. even one dead patient's postmortem can give them the clue. In the mean time, those dollars (which are to be spent on foreign delegates) should be used in salvaging the patients lives by instituting GM-CSF (a costly injection) I would recommend that local doctors especially the infectious disease specialists and hematologists should intervene as we have quality specialists in Pakistan.

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Amir Khan

Jan 26, 2012 12:42am

There has not been any Substandard report of any drug so far in use at the PIC. Some people are actively talking about the fact that without knowledge of the hospital some doctor at the PIC was using some experimental drug which was probably an anticancer drug without knowledge of the management. The aplastic condition of the bone marrow also supports this view however proof of the same is required.

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Amir Khan

Jan 26, 2012 12:57am

100% agreed BUT the cytotoxic material is more expensive than the drugs which were supplied to PIC...Why dont we think about some experimental drugs, i.e. some experimental anti-cancer drug under un-documented trial at the PIC???

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Amir Khan

Jan 26, 2012 01:06am

I agree with you 100%

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