The caretaker Punjab government on Sunday ordered a two-week ban on the sale and usage of Avastin for ophthalmology-related treatments, pending quality checks, after dozens of citizens complained of loss of vision after receiving the medication.
In a statement issued after a meeting with doctors and the provincial Health Department, interim Punjab Chief Minister Mohsin Naqvi said “immediate, strict” action would be taken against drug inspectors who had failed to prevent the non-sterile injections from being made available to patients. He said the government would provide free treatment to all patients who had received the injections, adding a high-powered inquiry team had been tasked to conduct a swift investigation.
“Police instructed to ensure the arrests of those responsible,” he added.
A day earlier, reports emerged that at least 40 diabetes patients were injected with substandard versions of Avastin, leading to loss of vision. Similar reports also emerged from other cities of Punjab, including Multan and Sadiqabad, with local media reporting nearly 70 cases of vision impairment had been recorded across the province.
Also on Sunday, Punjab health officials lodged a criminal case against the manufacturers of the adulterated drug under Drug Act, 1976 and Drug Regulatory Authority Pakistan (DRAP) Act, 2012. It nominates Naveed Abdulllah of Kahna and Bilal Rasheed as the accused, alleging they manufactured the drug on the premises of a private hospital—Saira Memorial Hospital Faisal Town Lahore—before supplying it to the rest of the province.
In a joint press conference, federal interim Health Minister Dr. Nadeem Jan told media the entire batch of the adulterated drugs had been withdrawn. He vowed the victims would be compensated and provided top-notch medical facilities, adding the culprits would be dealt in accordance with law. He said a committee of five people would look into what had led to vision impairment of the victims; whether it was a fault of the drug; the competency of doctors; or sterilization of the tools used. The inquiry, he vowed, would be completed within two to three days.
“A sample of the fake injection has been sent to the lab of the Punjab Health Department,” said caretaker Punjab Health Minister Dr. Nasir Jamal, adding the provincial health department had received a list of 20 affected people. “This drug has been used for a long time and the profit margin is high,” he said, adding the injection was manufactured by a multinational company.
The government took notice of the visual impairments being caused by the drug after Pakistan Peoples Party leader Chaudhry Manzoor revealed on X, formerly Twitter, that his brother and a friend’s eyesight was impaired when they received the shot inside their eyes. He said 18 other patients with the same ailment had been admitted to hospital when he sought further treatment for his brother.