Drug regulation: Out with the ‘outdated’ rules, in with the new
New rules finalised, presented to chief commissioner for approval.
New rules finalised, presented to chief commissioner for approval.
ISLAMABAD:
The Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT) Health Department has finalised a revised draft of rules regulating drug sales.
Talking to The Express Tribune, Drug Inspector Sardar Shabbir Ahmed said the ICT Drug Rules 1989, which are currently applicable in Islamabad, have become outdated, due to which numerous difficulties are being faced in their effective implementation. “Rules are being revised and a new draft, termed ICT Drug Rules 2013, has been sent to the chief commissioner,” said the drug inspector. “Hopefully the draft will be approved soon”.
Sharing some of the salient features of the revised draft, Ahmed said all 600 authorised retail outlets in the capital will be divided in to two categories: pharmacies and medical stores. Pharmacies will be authorised to sell all registered medicines and will hire a full-time qualified pharmacist.
Meanwhile, medical stores will be allowed to sell certain drugs and will be required to hire a pharmacy assistant. Areas will be clearly defined for opening a drug store, with the number of experts in the Quality Control Board of Islamabad to be increased from five to ten. The deputy commissioner will be made an appellate authority.
Ahmed said besides revising the rules other measures will also be taken. These include effective monitoring of distributors and drug retailers, while data on drug sale licenses will be computerised. Almost 95 per cent work on this project has been completed and the project will be operational by the end of this month, he added.
Instructions have been issued to all federal hospitals to ban the entry of mobile drug sellers in their respective hospitals in order to prevent the supply of spurious and sub-standard drugs, said Ahmed. All drug suppliers and distributors will be directed to deliver or supply drugs in air conditioned vans in order to ensure the prescribed storage conditions during transportation, he said. Delivery of drugs on motorbikes has been banned, he added.
Ahmed said last year over 380 inspections were carried out in the capital, during which 18 outlets were sealed while stocks were seized at 25 outlets.
Published in The Express Tribune, January 6th, 2013.
The Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT) Health Department has finalised a revised draft of rules regulating drug sales.
Talking to The Express Tribune, Drug Inspector Sardar Shabbir Ahmed said the ICT Drug Rules 1989, which are currently applicable in Islamabad, have become outdated, due to which numerous difficulties are being faced in their effective implementation. “Rules are being revised and a new draft, termed ICT Drug Rules 2013, has been sent to the chief commissioner,” said the drug inspector. “Hopefully the draft will be approved soon”.
Sharing some of the salient features of the revised draft, Ahmed said all 600 authorised retail outlets in the capital will be divided in to two categories: pharmacies and medical stores. Pharmacies will be authorised to sell all registered medicines and will hire a full-time qualified pharmacist.
Meanwhile, medical stores will be allowed to sell certain drugs and will be required to hire a pharmacy assistant. Areas will be clearly defined for opening a drug store, with the number of experts in the Quality Control Board of Islamabad to be increased from five to ten. The deputy commissioner will be made an appellate authority.
Ahmed said besides revising the rules other measures will also be taken. These include effective monitoring of distributors and drug retailers, while data on drug sale licenses will be computerised. Almost 95 per cent work on this project has been completed and the project will be operational by the end of this month, he added.
Instructions have been issued to all federal hospitals to ban the entry of mobile drug sellers in their respective hospitals in order to prevent the supply of spurious and sub-standard drugs, said Ahmed. All drug suppliers and distributors will be directed to deliver or supply drugs in air conditioned vans in order to ensure the prescribed storage conditions during transportation, he said. Delivery of drugs on motorbikes has been banned, he added.
Ahmed said last year over 380 inspections were carried out in the capital, during which 18 outlets were sealed while stocks were seized at 25 outlets.
Published in The Express Tribune, January 6th, 2013.