Drap urges public to verify medicines through new app

ISLAMABAD: The Drug Regulatory Authority of Pakistan (Drap) has encouraged consumers to use its Mehfooz Dawa mobile application to check the authenticity and prices of medicines, as the government steps up efforts to prevent the circulation of counterfeit and substandard drugs.

A spokesperson for the Ministry of National Health Services, Sajid Shah, said around 800 pharmaceutical companies and more than 90,000 medicines were registered with Drap.

He said a two-dimensional (2D) barcode system had been introduced to help consumers verify pharmaceutical products before purchasing them. By scanning the barcode printed on medicine packaging through a smartphone, users can access product information and check its listed price.

The centralised track-and-trace system for pharmaceutical products distributed across Pakistan became operational on October 9, Shah added.

The system is also expected to strengthen regulatory oversight by allowing authorities to monitor the movement of medicines throughout the supply chain. It will help officials identify affected products and arrange recalls more efficiently if complaints or quality concerns emerge.

The initiative aims to protect consumers from counterfeit, expired and substandard medicines while addressing issues such as overpricing and illegal marketing.

The barcode project, however, has a lengthy history. The proposal was initially introduced in 2015 and received federal cabinet approval in 2017, but administrative and bureaucratic hurdles delayed its implementation for several years.

Earlier, Federal Health Minister Mustafa Kamal had taken notice of the prolonged delay and directed that the system be introduced without further postponement.

Drap subsequently announced October 1 as the deadline for implementing the barcode mechanism, which was intended to improve transparency in the pharmaceutical market and prevent the sale of fake and expired medicines.

Shah said the Ministry of National Health Services remained committed to ensuring that people had access to safe, effective and quality medicines.

The authority’s latest appeal urges consumers to make use of the digital verification facility to check medicines and their prices, adding another layer of protection against fraudulent pharmaceutical products.