ISLAMABAD: President Asif Ali Zardari signed the Drug Regulatory Authority (DRA) Bill 2012 on Monday, making it a law.
As per the bill, a DRA body will be established to address all components of drug manufacturing, sales and distribution.
Furthermore, a Drug Policy Board will also be formed, and will be headed by the national regulations and services secretary.
The DRA will be headed by a chief executive officer (CEO), who will be appointed on merit by the prime minister on recommendation of members of the Drug Policy Board.
The Senate had approved the bill on October 17.
COMMENTS (12)
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While most ET readers fail to acknowledge this great step in the right direction, I thank the President and Parliament for taking such an initiative. It is hard to believe that we did not have a dedicated drug regulatory authority. Democracy is slow but it surely works!
First , why did the framers of 18th amendment take away key federal powers essential in running this country.
This is a move in the right direction and some other areas needs to be given back to federation .
Let's not wait for the next efroze chemical scam and KPK disregarding Iqbal from syllabus . Let's not wait for provincialism to destroy essence of Pakistan
Those who are talking about direct presidential rule are against smaller provinces which would never get a chance to elect a president with their fewer votes. We have tried presidential form of govt many times including the rule of four army dictators but we lost most of the country and now there is a rebellion in Baluchistan. What is the use of going back to what we have tried and failed? On the contrary the restored 1973 constitution gives an equal chance to all provinces to elect a president with consensus. The senate and president from all provinces is a must for the survival of Pakistan.
@Syed: You have no clue what this news is about.
@Zulfiqar Gul: For your kind information, all bills have to be signed by president before coming into place. This does not mean the president is passing those bills.
DRA must accommodate medicines imported by iNGOs in Pakistan for donation which is harmless and not for sale in Pakistan. it should not asking pile of documents and then waiver of SRO 280 as most of these are made in India who are suppliers of suppliers to intl firms.
huh - A person who claims to be tortured while in (so called) jail - saw him in Agha Khan Hospital in 1998 - he was as healthy as anyone could be and had a wicked smile on his face passing by from one of the lobby on a wheel chair accompanied by police and his jiyalas wearing brown Shalwar Kameez.
New authorities and Law's are not needed. The need is to honestly enforce the Law's already on the books. This new Authority looks simply like a seat for a 'favourite' to make money, lets hope sense prevails.
There are two major tasks which is lying pending before the Drug Regulatory Authority:
(1) Banning the substandard drug, its confiscation and of equipment, sealing of premises where the sub-standards drugs are manufactured and arrest of people involved in selling sub-standard drugs;
(2) Ban on sale of sleeping and similar pills to underage end users without the valid prescription of a qualified doctor.
There are several other issues, but to start with if the Drug Regulatory Authority will take these two point in priority, it will be presumed that the DRA is proceeding in the right direction.