DRAP lodged over 1,000 FIRs

Continues drive against sale of spurious medicines


Our Correspondent January 26, 2018
PHOTO:FILE

ISLAMABAD: The drug regulator has analysed around 53,371 samples of various drugs, lodged 1,018 FIRs and collected fine of Rs203.63 million from people involved in the business of counterfeit and spurious and medicines during the last three years.

While speaking at a press conference, Drug Regulatory Authority Pakistan (Drap) has ceased and destroyed huge amounts of spurious medicines, said the authority’s CEO Muhammad Aslam.

During the period, he said, Drap tried to ensure access of people to quality assured, safe and effective medicine at affordable price and other therapeutic goods.

He said that Drap has made possible efficient registration process of drugs, better market surveillance for stopping the menace of counterfeit, spurious and falsified drugs and therapeutic goods, and preparation and implementation of new regulations.

The CEO said that registration board approved new formulations, anti-cancer drugs, antiretroviral drugs, thalassemia, blood products and blood bags, in order to provide latest treatment options to the patients in need. New drugs for treatment of Hepatitis-C were registered keeping in view the prevalence of the disease in the country.

In 2017, federal government granted approval of 113 cases of fixing prices of new drug formulations and 132 additional packs of registered drugs. The CEO further added that authenticity and quality of drugs in the market is further assured by introduction of 2D Barcodes on the packaging of the drugs. Furthermore, a complete track and trace system enables regulators and manufacturers to monitor the movement of the drugs and ensuring that no falsified drug has been sold.

About the different problems being face by the authority he said, Drap’s structural problems augmented by lack of proper offices and facilities which hampered its work.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 26th, 2018. 

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