Pharmaceutical factory sealed after 27 die in Lahore
The investigation committee said that indicated medicines must also be tried on animals so the truth can be revealed. – File Photo
LAHORE: An investigation committee formed by the provincial government sealed a pharmaceutical factory which was manufacturing medicines allegedly responsible for the death of at least 27 people, DawnNews reported on Monday.
The Punjab government had formed a committee to probe the alleged reaction of cardiac medicines and consequent deaths of patients.
Separate wards have also been formed in hospitals for the alleged victims of those medicines.
Earlier, Dr. Prof Javed Akram, the head of the investigation team, 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.
He also said the committee was investigating the deaths of heart patients which occurred due to a sudden drop in white blood cells, platelets and bone marrow damage.
The affected families, whose loved ones’ being treated in Punjab Institute of Cardiology, came out on roads to protest on Monday.
They demanded government to act against those factories which were responsible for manufacturing substandard medicines so other patients can be protected.
The investigation committee was probing the alleged factories and was in contact with the affected families.
The committee further said that indicated medicines must also be tried on animals so the truth can be revealed.
Moreover, some of the alleged medicines had been sent outside the country for further investigations.
I would urge Dr. Jawed Akram to show his duty of reasonability and propose the criminal proceedings against the Factory owners and management for their gross negligence during the all the phases of production of this drug. The government of Punjab especially the Health Minister should also deserve similar treatment as the other negligent people in this tragedy. This is clear violation of health and safety laws in Pakistan. In western countries unlike to criminal cases accuses of health safety cases prove their innocence in the court of law. Not the state to prove that they are guilty; I hope it will tackled in the right way.
Check out other medicines.
the name of medicines, manufacturers and formula name should be disclosed.
Certainly the most important thing to do is to name the products and remove them immediately from all medical stores. This is a serious problem which has to do with the lives of people and our government needs to act up and show their integrity of office… They are there to represent the people rather than victimizing them. Its a fact that the most educated ones in our society are the ones who are being accused of fraud and political, federal, provincial and all government servants should uphold the law on integrity of the office they serve and lets all change Pakistan into a progressive society.
Why did you waste your time writing this article? For whatever reasons you fail to provide the two most important aspects of the story i.e., the name of the factory and the medicines. Irresponsible journalism.
Exactly. Is the company being protected. The people need to know.
with so many people asking Dawn to publish the names of the medicines, it seems they have already done it in another report.
……..Cardiovestin (Simvastatin), Alfagril (Clopidogrel), Concort (Amlodipine) and Soloprin (Asprin),…..
ref: http://www.dawn.com/2012/01/23/pic-suspends-distr…
Please mention the name of the medicine.
Like Many friends asking Dawn to give the detail of the medicine & the name of factory to caution other people who might be using same medicines. But what if the mafia has blamed a particular factory to hide the other possible reason?
Great to see where Pakistan is headed. Every single day you think could it get any worse than this? And the next day you're proved "Yes it can get worse" Every single day… Pakistan and Pakistani's have entered a bottomless abyss and will keep falling and keep degrading. Nothing will ever become of this country. Nothing.
The name of the pills and manufactures must be mentioned in the print media.
Irresponsible reporting at its best. What harm would it do to disclose the name of the company and the product that is potentially lethal.
Company name or medicine must be disclosed this is very serious problem. Everyone knows about fact.
Adnan Janjua
Its called innocent until proven guilty. If they publish this name in publich without proof, this company could file a defamation lawsuit against DAWN.
Youre incorrect. Publishing names doesnt mean the anmes mentioned are necessarily guilty. Publishing names doesnt result in any problems for Dawn as long as they use the words 'allegedly' or 'accused of'. This implies that the name mentioned might have done something wrong and refrains from suggesting one way or another.
This is how the western media mentions names in reporting stories…
I request DAWN news to Please tell us the name of the pill and name of the Medicine.
Why these things happen only in Pakistan ?
Why in this news the name of company and name of drug is not given.
What is the name of that pill. So that others may be aware not to take it.
For the readers' welfare, kindly mention the name of the medicine as well.