- Court hints at reconstitution of board of drug regulatory authority
A three-judge bench of the apex court, headed by Chief Justice Saqib Nisar, on a suo motu case over the sale and use of spurious and unregistered stents, Tuesday hinted at the possibility of reconstituting the board of the Drug Regulatory Authority Pakistan (DRAP) that has only one cardiologist on it.
During the proceedings, the court was informed by Additional Attorney General (AAG) Muhammad Waqar Rana that “the board members held the authority for approval of the stents before their registration.” The bench sought the details of educational credentials of the board members of the authority on the next hearing, noting that it only had one cardiologist.
Also, Justice Nisar noted that while many stents manufactured in Germany, America and Japan awaited registration from the DRAP, Chinese stents were being given preference. Justice Umer Atta Bandial questioned why dozens of applications for registration were pending with the DRAP, when technology was evolving rapidly.
The bench also directed that doctors be urged against use of smuggled stents that come in briefcases.
Later, the court adjourned the heating till the first week of March.
The apex court took had taken suo motu action last week on reports about substandard stents being used in several government hospitals.
