A pharmaceutical company has been fined Rs 2 million for falsely advertising its hemodialysis drug, which is used in life-saving kidney treatments. The Competition Tribunal has upheld the earlier ruling of the Competition Commission of Pakistan (CCP), rejecting the company’s appeal and confirming the penalty for misleading claims.
The company, 3N Lifemed, promoted its product using fabricated certificates of quality standards, which were allegedly issued by a non-recognized and unauthorized body. It was also found that the company falsely claimed its product had been approved by the Drug Regulatory Authority of Pakistan (DRAP).
During proceedings, the company admitted that the certificates were not genuine. DRAP clarified that the drug in question actually falls under the category of a medical device, not a pharmaceutical drug, further raising concerns about the legitimacy of the company’s marketing practices.
The Tribunal warned that if the imposed fine is not paid within 10 days, an additional penalty of Rs 100,000 per day will be levied until compliance. The case has highlighted serious gaps in ethical marketing and regulatory oversight in the healthcare sector, particularly concerning products critical to patient survival.
