DRAP Bans 17 Syringe Batches Over Safety Failures

The Drug Regulatory Authority of Pakistan (DRAP) has launched a nationwide crackdown on substandard auto-disable syringes after declaring 17 batches non-compliant with required safety standards.

The regulator said the affected 3ml to 5ml syringes failed the mandatory auto-disable functionality test, which led to an immediate ban on their sale and use across the country.

According to DRAP, the syringes were tested by the Central Drug Laboratory and the Drug Testing Laboratory Karachi, where they were found to be substandard. The authority said the batches failed the auto-disable test, meaning faults in the locking mechanism could allow the syringes to be reused.

That failure carries serious public health risks, as repeated syringe use can contribute to the spread of dangerous infections such as hepatitis and HIV.

The regulator said the 17 affected batches were manufactured by 11 companies. It added that three of those batches were produced by two Chinese manufacturers, while the remaining companies are based in Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

Medical product alerts have been issued for all affected batches, and provincial drug authorities as well as regulatory field teams have been directed to carry out market surveys and trace the products in circulation.

DRAP has also ordered the seizure of available stocks from the market and directed manufacturers, importers, and distributors to immediately recall the affected batches.