ISLAMABAD, Pakistan: The Drug Regulatory Authority of Pakistan (DRAP) has urgently recalled a widely used antibiotic drip, Anarob Infusion (Metronidazole), after its latest laboratory tests confirmed the presence of dangerous bacterial endotoxins in batch number H24219. The discovery has triggered alarm in the healthcare sector, as the contaminated infusion poses serious risks to patient safety.
The antibiotic drip, commonly used in hospitals through intravenous administration to treat severe infections, was flagged during testing at DRAP’s Central Drugs Laboratory. The contaminated batch failed to meet safety standards, making it unsafe for medical use.
Experts have warned that patients exposed to the contaminated drip could experience fever, chills, septic shock, or even life-threatening complications. The risks are particularly grave for hospitalized patients and those with weakened immune systems.
In response, DRAP has directed its field teams, along with provincial drug inspectors, to conduct immediate market surveys to locate and remove the defective batch from all hospitals, pharmacies, and distribution centres. Pharmacies have been instructed to quarantine the stock and return it to suppliers, while healthcare workers and consumers have been urged to report any adverse effects through the National Pharmacovigilance Centre (NPC).
This incident is part of a series of recalls in recent months, raising concerns about drug safety standards in the country. Earlier this year, contaminated syrups and unsafe fever medication were also withdrawn from the market, putting a spotlight on Pakistan’s pharmaceutical oversight system.
Health experts are now calling for stricter monitoring and accountability to prevent such lapses in the future, stressing that public trust in life-saving medicines must not be compromised.
This story has been reported by PakTribune. All rights reserved.