Ministry calls on pharma industry to report corruption
Says issues need to be resolved in regulation, monitoring and pricing.
PHOTO: REUTERS
KARACHI:
State Minister for National Health Services Saira Afzal Tarar has urged the pharmaceutical industry to help the government in reducing corruption in Drug Regulatory Authority of Pakistan (DRAP).
“We want to bring transparency in DRAP, which has been a big issue. I want you (pharma industry) to report anything you think is wrong. Everything is more open now, you should not fear that this (reporting wrongs) will harm your businesses,” she said this while speaking at the 2nd Pakistan Pharma Summit which was held at a local hotel on Tuesday.
Highlighting the influence the pharmaceutical lobby wields in Islamabad, Tarar said it tried to even oust her when she resisted the industry’s bid to jack up drug prices unduly.
Tarar, who was speaking to a hall full of middle and top managers of Pakistan’s pharmaceutical industry, also conceded that the government efforts to improve different systems in health sector are not yielding enough results.
She said that DRAP’s capacity to regulate the pharmaceutical industry is not enough because of a variety of reasons, including a weak recruitment process.
The minister, however, said that her ministry has now allocated Rs150 million for capacity building of the regulatory institution.
Tarar said that she agrees with the industry that there is a huge drug manufacturing potential in Pakistan. “But to improve the system, the relations between DRAP and the industry should be cordial,” she added. The government is trying to improve the regulatory authority in the country and this will happen gradually. “After the 18th Amendment, the good thing is that provinces are now competing with each other,” she commented.
Later, replying to a question from a reporter, she said that we should not use the word ‘mafia’ for the pharmaceutical industry.
“The government is not helpless,” said Tarar in an apparent reference to the recent stalemate between the government and the industry on drug pricing issues, adding that whenever the government takes action against anyone, the media starts giving attention to those who challenge the government, which makes the situation difficult for the government.
DRAP was constituted in November 2012 after the functions of the federal health ministry were transferred to the provinces in June 2011. It is an autonomous regulatory body charged with regulating issues related to drug prices, licencing and inspecting drug manufacturers, and drug registration for local manufacturing or imported medicines.
Published in The Express Tribune, May 4th, 2016.
State Minister for National Health Services Saira Afzal Tarar has urged the pharmaceutical industry to help the government in reducing corruption in Drug Regulatory Authority of Pakistan (DRAP).
“We want to bring transparency in DRAP, which has been a big issue. I want you (pharma industry) to report anything you think is wrong. Everything is more open now, you should not fear that this (reporting wrongs) will harm your businesses,” she said this while speaking at the 2nd Pakistan Pharma Summit which was held at a local hotel on Tuesday.
Highlighting the influence the pharmaceutical lobby wields in Islamabad, Tarar said it tried to even oust her when she resisted the industry’s bid to jack up drug prices unduly.
Tarar, who was speaking to a hall full of middle and top managers of Pakistan’s pharmaceutical industry, also conceded that the government efforts to improve different systems in health sector are not yielding enough results.
She said that DRAP’s capacity to regulate the pharmaceutical industry is not enough because of a variety of reasons, including a weak recruitment process.
The minister, however, said that her ministry has now allocated Rs150 million for capacity building of the regulatory institution.
Tarar said that she agrees with the industry that there is a huge drug manufacturing potential in Pakistan. “But to improve the system, the relations between DRAP and the industry should be cordial,” she added. The government is trying to improve the regulatory authority in the country and this will happen gradually. “After the 18th Amendment, the good thing is that provinces are now competing with each other,” she commented.
Later, replying to a question from a reporter, she said that we should not use the word ‘mafia’ for the pharmaceutical industry.
“The government is not helpless,” said Tarar in an apparent reference to the recent stalemate between the government and the industry on drug pricing issues, adding that whenever the government takes action against anyone, the media starts giving attention to those who challenge the government, which makes the situation difficult for the government.
DRAP was constituted in November 2012 after the functions of the federal health ministry were transferred to the provinces in June 2011. It is an autonomous regulatory body charged with regulating issues related to drug prices, licencing and inspecting drug manufacturers, and drug registration for local manufacturing or imported medicines.
Published in The Express Tribune, May 4th, 2016.