Sale of unregistered, fake and sub-standard drugs: DRAP seeks report on drug mafias

The Drug Regulatory Authority of Pakistan (DRAP) has directed the chief drug inspectors of the four federating units along with Gilgit-Baltistan and the chief commissioner, Islamabad, to provide comprehensive investigation report against the drug mafias involved in manufacturing and selling fake, unregistered and sub-standard drugs.

Ministry of National Health Services, Regulations & Coordination (NHRC) and the DRAP are facing enormous challenge to curb the sale and manufacturing of fake and unregistered medicines in the country.

Sources in the Ministry of Health told Pakistan Today that the sale of unregistered, counterfeit and spurious drugs was continued in the federal capital as well as in all the major cities of the country. They said that the despite DRAP action, drug mafias were busy in manufacturing and selling unregistered medicines, which was a matter of great concern.

keeping in view the gravity of the situation, the DRAP wrote to chief drug inspectors of Punjab, Sindh, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP), Balochistan, Gilgit-Baltistan and the ICT chief commissioner, and complained about registration of unique/uncommon combinations and multiple breads of one molecule of M/s Everest Pharmaceuticals Pvt Ltd Islamabad.

DRAP Quality Control Division assistant director, in his letter, a copy of which is available with Pakistan Today said, “I am directed to refer this office letter dated December 3, 2015 and subsequent reminder dated December 10, 2015, of the subject cited above in respect to letter of PE&R Division vide letter dated November 23, 2015 to conduct assessment through FIDs pertaining to the availability of manufacturing of following un-registered products/combinations (formulation) of M/s Everest Pharmaceuticals Pvt Ltd, Islamabad, as well to take appropriate action as per law.

The un-registered drugs/medicines are included Silk, Link, Esper, MTD, M-Plus, Penboll, Sankol Plus, Everlong, Chill, Samprid, REAP and Leans etc which were being sold across the country.

The letter reads, ‘The ADC Reg-III mentioned that the above formulations have been verified from the official record/minutes of the meetings of the registrations board which is the statutory body for registration of drugs in Pakistan under the law’.

“This verification confirms that none of the above formulation/combination is approved by the registration board and thus are unregistered and in violation of Drug Act 1976,” the letter added.

The letter stated, “You are requested to forward the comprehensive investigation report to take legal action under the Drug Act 1976 and respective sale rules there under for further necessary action.”

It was directed that it may also be ensured that no un-registered product was available in the market and or illegally manufactured in violation of Drug Act 1976 and the Drug Act 2012 and rules framed there under.

Health Ministry spokesperson Sajid Hussain Shah said that the DRAP was committed to cleanse the country of the spurious, fake and unregistered drugs.

He said that they would leave no stone unturned to flush the country of the drug mafia who were playing with the lives of the people. He said that it was responsibility of the DRAP to ensure provision of the quality, clean and registered medicines to the people.