Pakistan Orders Urgent Withdrawal of Contaminated Infusion
Drug Regulatory Authority (Drap) has ordered the immediate recall of a contaminated batch of Anarob antibiotic drip after tests confirmed harmful levels of bacterial toxins.
Anarob Infusion, an intravenous drug containing metronidazole, is widely prescribed in hospitals to treat severe bacterial infections of the stomach, lungs, skin, joints, and other areas when oral medication proves ineffective.
In a medical product alert issued Tuesday, Drap’s Central Drugs Laboratory declared the batch “substandard” after finding bacterial endotoxins beyond acceptable limits.
The authority cautioned that patients could experience fever, chills, septic shock, and life-threatening complications if administered the contaminated infusion. It noted that hospitalised and immunocompromised patients were particularly vulnerable.
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The affected batch, identified as H24219, has been ordered off shelves nationwide. Drap directed its field force and provincial drug control departments to conduct market surveys and ensure immediate removal of the product. Pharmacists and chemists have been instructed to check stocks, quarantine the affected infusion, and return it to suppliers.
The regulator also urged healthcare professionals to report any adverse reactions or product-related issues to the National Pharmacovigilance Centre (NPC) through official reporting channels. Consumers have been advised to discontinue use of the contaminated batch and consult their doctors if they experience health problems linked to the drug.
This latest recall follows a series of similar incidents. In March 2024, Drap withdrew a children’s fever syrup, while in January it ordered the recall of nine contaminated syrups.
