Punjab Recalls Two Medicine Batches After Quality Failure

The Punjab government has initiated a recall of two medicine batches due to quality issues. The Directorate of Drug Control, Punjab, issued the recall notice, under No. 132/2026, following a directive from the Provincial Quality Control Board. This action was taken after the drug-testing laboratories declared the batches substandard or adulterated.

The affected products include Injection Mecodax, Mecobalamin (Batch 176, Reg No. 065622, expiry date: August 2027) and film-coated Cetirizine Dihydrochloride 10mg (Batch BCT-005, Reg No. 123852, expiry date: February 2027). The recall requires manufacturers, market authorization holders, and distributors to take immediate action.

The directive also instructs pharmacies, medical stores, wholesalers, distributors, and healthcare facilities to halt the dispensing of these medicines and report their stock and consumption records to the relevant drug inspectors. The public is advised to discontinue the use of these medicines immediately due to potential health risks.

Authorities have mandated manufacturers to conduct a root-cause analysis and submit a Corrective and Preventive Action plan to the drug control department. Patients who have experienced adverse reactions after using the affected medicines are urged to report these incidents through the Medicine Surveillance System.