The Punjab health authorities in Pakistan have issued an alert over a batch of an allergy medicine after laboratory tests found it to be substandard.
According to an alert issued by the Directorate of Drugs Control Punjab (DDCP), the Punjab Drug Testing Laboratory reported concerns about a specific batch of Hirazine 10mg medicine, which contains cetirizine dihydrochloride, a commonly used antihistamine.
The Directorate of Drugs Control and the Punjab Provincial Quality Control Board have ordered the immediate withdrawal of the affected batch, HZT214, from the market. The batch has an expiry date of December 2027.
Health authorities have advised patients and members of the public to stop using batch HZT214 immediately, warning that the medicine could pose a health risk.
Pharmacies, medical stores and hospitals have also been instructed to stop selling the affected batch and provide details of any remaining stock to the relevant drug inspector.
The manufacturer has been directed to recall all medicines from batch HZT214 and submit a full report to the Drug Regulatory Authority Pakistan (DRAP).
