Malik for 14-year captivity, Rs50m fine for those involved in spurious medicines

ISLAMABAD: Senior Leader of the Pakistan People’s Party Senator A Rehman Malik on Monday proposed a punishment up to 14-year imprisonment with fine of Rs50 million for those involved in spurious medicines by proposing an amendment to The Drugs Act, 1976.

In a letter to the Chairman Senate Standing Committee on National Health Services and Regulations, Senator A. Rehman Malik stated that he studied The Drugs Act, 1976 in depth and during his services in FIA he had experienced difficulties in taking action against the manufacturers, distributors and sellers of spurious medicines because of the lacunas in the law.

He stated that the prosecution against the criminals involved in the spurious medicines and raids and checks against them cannot be undertaken unless prior sanction from the drug inspector.

In his letter he proposed the government should make amendments in the relevant sections of The Drugs Act, 1976 with some additions.

Senator A. Rehman Malik proposed the following amendments in The Drugs Act, 1976:-

i. The FIA shall be able to undertake any checking raid on the factories reported to be manufacturing spurious medicines without getting any clearance from the drug inspector.

ii. Any Pharmaceutical Company / individual found involved in funding, producing and distributing spurious medicines shall be liable to be punished up to 14 years imprisonment with fine of 50 million rupees.

The committee discussed in details the quantity and value in Pak rupees of medicines and vaccines being imported from India on monthly basis, which was raised by Senator A. Rehman Malik in the Senate House and was referred to the Committee. Rehman Malik urged the government to control the shortage of snake venom serum and rabies vaccines in the country by making it mandatory for local manufacturers to produce at least five percent of these vaccines in addition to expensive medical products.

He said the government must ensure the availability of snake venom serum and rabies vaccines particularly in the season of monsoon.

He expressed concern that Pakistan imported medicines worth Rs136 crore from India alone in 2019, which could be saved by making locally.