Punjab bans use of specific injections following drug reaction incident

LAHORE: The Directorate of Drug Control has ordered immediate ban on the use of private company injections all over the Punjab province after drug reaction incident at Mayo Hospital.

The Directorate of Drug Control issued instructions to the pharmaceuticals across the province, stating that the use of injections is suspected to be a threat to health, preventing the use of injections “Vexa” and the use of “Neutraline”, preventing specific batch of injection

According to the Directorate Drug Control, the use of injections is a threat to suspected health, the use of drug tests should be stopped until the use of patients, the decision was made in view of the protection of the patients, preventing specific batch of injection “Vexa”.

It may be recalled that two patients was killed and 15 patients were affected by the alleged reaction of the ceftriaxone injection at the Chest ward of Mayo Hospital Lahore.

On the other hand, Punjab Health Department released an inquiry report regarding the deaths of patients allegedly caused by a reaction to Ceftriaxone injections at Mayo Hospital.

Three nurses including Saima Seher, Nazia Hassan, and Sunaina Khalid were uspended for negligence.

The authorities have also issued show-cause notices to the suspended nurses and directed them to report to the Punjab Health Department. They have been instructed to submit written responses within seven days.

The inquiry committee identified misconduct by the nurses, concluding that their negligence and malpractices in administering powdered injections (including reconstitution, dilution, and route of administration), along with bad dispensing practices of Ceftriaxone, led to adverse drug reactions in 16 patients on March 9, 2025, in the Chest Surgical Ward.

The report attributes the incident directly to the nurses’ negligence.