ISLAMABAD (Dunya News) - The Ministry of Health has introduced a major reform initiative aimed at eliminating counterfeit medicines across the country, with the federal cabinet approving the nationwide implementation of a track-and-trace system for pharmaceutical products.
According to a spokesperson for the Ministry of Health, the cabinet has formally approved amendments to the Drug Labeling and Packaging Rules 1978 to facilitate the rollout of the new system. Officials described the decision as a “historic step” toward addressing the long-standing issue of fake and substandard medicines in Pakistan.
Federal Health Minister Mustafa Kamal said the initiative will enable every medicine to be digitally tracked and verified for the first time in the country’s history. He added that the system would help identify and eliminate counterfeit and substandard drugs from the supply chain.
Under the new framework, consumers will also be able to access verified information regarding a medicine’s expiry date and price through digital verification tools.
The Drug Regulatory Authority of Pakistan (DRAP) will oversee the implementation of the system nationwide. Pharmaceutical manufacturers and importers will be required to place standardized 2D barcodes and serialization data on every medicine pack under the updated regulations.
Kamal said the reform will modernize Pakistan’s pharmaceutical sector and create a strong safeguard against counterfeit drugs. He added that the shift to a digital monitoring system would replace traditional oversight mechanisms, ensuring greater transparency and public safety.
He further noted that DRAP will soon issue technical guidelines for the industry and has already begun consultations with relevant stakeholders to ensure smooth implementation.