The Minister of Health announces a major reform to curb fake medicine and improve quality control
KARACHI:
Federal Health Minister Syed Mustafa Kamal announced on Saturday that Pakistan will introduce a barcode system for all medicines within the next 60 days as part of a major initiative to eliminate counterfeit and substandard drugs and ensure quality control in the pharmaceutical sector.
Speaking at an event during his visit to Pakistan Pharmaceutical Manufacturers Association (PPMA) headquarters, the minister said that all preparations for the nationwide implementation of the system have been completed by the Ministry of Health and relevant institutions.
He said the barcode system would enable complete traceability of medicines, ensure availability of genuine medicines to patients and help remove fake products from the market.
He said Pakistan currently produces 85 percent of its required medicines locally, but nearly 99 percent of the raw materials are imported, mainly from China, calling it a major economic challenge. He emphasized the need for local production of pharmaceutical raw materials to reduce import dependency.
