Do not use this medicine, Punjab issues alert

The Directorate of Drugs Control (DDC) of Punjab has issued a prompt alert for an alternative medicine following laboratory testing that found a herbal medicinal product contained an undeclared pharmaceutical ingredient that could pose serious health risks.

The Punjab Drug Testing Laboratory reported that the product was adulterated with an undisclosed ingredient.

In an alert issued by the Directorate of Drugs Control (DDC) Punjab, the product, Capsule Cheston (Al-Sehat), was found to contain ‘Dexamethasone’, a prescription corticosteroid, despite being marketed as an alternative medicine product.

Officials warned that prolonged use of Dexamethasone without medical supervision could lead to a range of adverse effects, including immune suppression, adrenal insufficiency, osteoporosis, increased susceptibility to infections, and other endocrine complications.

The Provincial Quality Control Board subsequently directed the manufacturer and distributor to immediately recall the product from the market and provide complete supply chain records to ensure traceability.

Retailers, pharmacies, and distributors have also been instructed to stop selling and distributing the capsules and report stock and distribution details to local drug inspectors.