The Punjab government has launched an investigation into reports of vision loss among numerous patients who received a locally manufactured injection called “Avastin” at different hospitals in the province. In response to these incidents, the government has formed a five-member committee to look into the matter and provide recommendations to prevent such incidents in the future.
The committee, led by Dr. Asad Aslam Khan from King Edward Medical University, will submit its report within three days. Other members of the committee include Muhammad Sohail from the Director General Drugs Control, Dr. Muhammad Moin from Mayo Hospital, Dr. Tayyaba from Lahore General Hospital, and Prof Dr. Mohsin from Services Hospital.
These incidents occurred when diabetic patients in Lahore, Kasur, and Jhang districts were given Avastin injections to treat retinal damage. However, the injections resulted in severe infections and led to the loss of eyesight for approximately 12 patients, including the brother of senior Pakistan People’s Party leader Chaudhry Manzoor and his friend. In Kasur, four individuals also suffered irreversible vision loss.
Dr. Asim Gill, who administered the injections at Sharif Hospital, explained that Avastin is typically used to restore vision damaged by diabetes. Normally, patients receive three to four injections, but in this case, several individuals lost their eyesight.
Mayo Hospital head surgeon Prof Asad Islam raised concerns and wrote a letter to the health department regarding the issue. He reported that patients who received Bevacizumab injections, supplied by Mr. Naveed, experienced blinding eye infections in Lahore and other parts of Punjab. The infections were attributed to unsterilized injections, emphasizing the need for serious attention to prevent such incidents in the future. Prof. Aslam suggested that Avastin injections should be purchased exclusively from Shaukat Khanum, and he had previously communicated this concern to the health department.
The Punjab Minister for Primary and Secondary Healthcare, Dr. Jamal Nasir, stated that the warehouse where the injection was stored has been sealed, and drug inspectors throughout Punjab have been instructed to halt the sale and purchase of Avastin. Doctors and patients have also been advised not to use the injection, while medical stores, wholesalers, and distributors have been prohibited from selling it. Samples of the injection have been sent for lab tests to determine the cause of the issue.
Dr. Nausherwan Adil, a senior registrar at Nishtar Medical University, shed light on the sourcing of the Bevascizumab vials, stating that they were purchased from a UK-based company. Each vial was used to prepare approximately 70 injections of 1.25 mg/0.5ml under specialized conditions. He emphasized that Shaukat Khanum, Doctors’ Hospital, and Saira Memorial Hospital have the necessary facilities and sensitivity reports for manufacturing these injections within controlled environments.
The investigation will focus on identifying potential sources of contamination, including inadequate sterilization, infected vials, non-sterile syringes, and deviations from standard operating procedures in the drug dispensing process. The aim is to prevent future incidents and ensure the safety of patients receiving injections for retinal damage.