One-month deadline set for pharma firms to print barcodes on packaging of drugs

ISLAMABAD: The Drug Regulatory Authority of Pakistan (DRAP) Thursday gave one month’s time to the pharmaceutical companies for printing barcodes on the packaging of all the locally produced and imported pharmaceutical and biological drugs for human use.

Authorities said the decision was taken to ensure provision of genuine and quality medicine to the people and to eradicate the menace of spurious and counterfeit drugs after markets were found flooded with illegally produced medicines.

The decision was taken at the 51st meeting of DRAP Policy Board, which was presided by federal secretary health Iftikhar Shallwani, who directed the DRAP officials to ensure implementation on Policy Board’s decision in letter and spirit in a month.

Chief Executive Officer DRAP Asim Rauf and directors of various divisions of the regulatory authority also directed DRAP to closely monitor the situation and take measures including legal actions to ensure the compliance. Talking to The News, a member of the DRAP Policy Board said absence of barcoding on medicine packs poses challenges in tracking and tracing medications, potentially compromising patient safety and regulatory oversight. “This omission not only hampers efficient inventory management but also impedes efforts to combat counterfeit drugs and ensure medication authenticity,” the official said.

He maintained that absence of barcoding also undermines efforts to implement robust pharmacovigilance systems, hindering the timely identification and reporting of adverse drug reactions. Moreover, it creates loopholes in the supply chain, increasing the risk of substandard or falsified medications entering the market, he added.

The DRAP Policy Board member claimed that implementing a barcode system would offer numerous advantages including enhanced patient safety as barcodes allow for real-time tracking of medication throughout the supply chain from manufacturing to dispensing.

The transparency helps identify and prevent counterfeit drugs from reaching patients, he added.

Similarly, barcodes streamline inventory control, reducing the risk of stock outs and ensuring essential medications are readily available, said the official.

On the other hand, local pharmaceutical industry representatives termed it a decision taken in haste, saying they would have to import packing machinery worth millions of rupees, which would take several months due to prevailing economic conditions and urged the regulatory authority to provide at least a year’s time for implementation on policy board decision.

They also demanded incentives on import of the machinery for printing barcodes on the medicines’ packing.