The Drug Regulatory Authority of Pakistan (DRAP) has declared auto disable syringes manufactured by six companies as substandard.
In a statement issued by DRAP, 3ml and 5ml auto disable syringes were declared substandard and medical product alerts were issued against them.
The statement said that the sale and use of six substandard auto disable syringes have been banned. The Central Drug Laboratory Karachi declared six samples as substandard.
According to DRAP, the syringe samples failed to meet the required standards of the auto disable test. Three batches of syringes manufactured by three foreign companies were found to be substandard. The syringe manufacturing companies are based in China, Egypt, Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
A batch of 3cc syringes manufactured by Jiang Xi Fenglin Medical Appliances was declared substandard. A batch of 5ml syringes manufactured by Meda Eldawlia Co International of Egypt was also found substandard. A batch of 3ml syringes manufactured by Shandong Caremed China was likewise declared substandard.
The statement further said that due to defects in the auto disable system, the affected syringes may be reused. Their reuse poses a serious public health risk. Repeated use of syringes can contribute to the spread of hepatitis and HIV. Provinces have been directed to take measures to prevent the circulation of substandard auto disable syringes.
DRAP has instructed authorities to seize the affected batches of substandard auto disable syringes available in the market and directed manufacturers, importers and distributors to recall the affected syringe batches from the market.
