CDL denies clearing medicine found lethal by foreign lab

Karachi: The Central Drug Testing Laboratory (CDL), Karachi, has denied Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif’s allegations that the CDL had cleared a medicine, Isotab, manufactured by Efroze Pharma and declared it fit for patients, saying they had not so far tested the medicine.

“The CDL received five drugs and raw material of two drugs from the Punjab and our analysis found one of the medicines, Alfagril (Clopidogril) of Alfa Pharma substandard,” Deputy-Director of the CDL Dr. Obaid Ali told The News on Wednesday.

“The medicine, Isotab-20, was not among the medicine samples sent to CDL by the Punjab government,” he clarified. Dr. Obaid Ali said initially, they received samples of five medicines and raw materials for two on January 19 and they completed the tests and sent the report to Punjab Drug Inspector and Quality Control Board on January 27, 2012.

ìThe medicine of Alfa Pharma, Alfagril, was found substandard as the medicine had dark spots on it and was discoloured. Analysis showed that it was substandard and not up to the international standardsî Dr. Obaid Ali disclosed.

He denied that CDL cleared Isotab of Efroze Pharma, saying that they received its samples later and they were currently analysing the drug on priority basis.

ìWhen we have not tested the medicine, how can we clear it and declare it safe for useî, the CDL official queried.

In reply to a query, he said that the CDL had refused to accept samples of another 12 medicines from the Punjab government that were sent to CDL for analysis as CDL did not work for the Punjab government.

ìFirst the Punjab government would have to notify that they were sending us the medicines for analysis and then they should send them to us as per rules prescribed under Drug Act, otherwise we canít accept any samples from any provincial governmentî, he said.