LAHORE: The report of an inquiry into the eyesight damage to diabetic patients allegedly caused by Avestin injection, holds flawed repackaging of the drug and lack of cold chain responsible for the fiasco.
In the report sent to the Punjab Caretaker Chief Minister Mohsin Naqvi, Health Minister Dr Javed Akram said there was nothing wrong with the injection, blaming the faulty repackaging and that the negligence in maintaining the cold chain for the healthcare disaster.
The minister rejected the allegations against the drug manufacturing company, saying that the injection has been successfully used to treat cancer patients for the last 20 years.
He said in the light of the report, the government has decided to release the medicine stock that had been withheld after the eyesight damage cases.
The inquiry had been initiated after eyesight damage was reported in Punjab among 65 diabetic patients who were administered the injection.
