ISLAMABAD: Minister for National Health Services, Regulations and Coordination Saira Afzal Tarar on Monday apprised the Senate that country pharma export has witnessed sharp increase and in next two years it would be doubled.
Winding up discussion on a deferred motion about Drug Regulatory Authority of Pakistan (DRAP), the minister expressed the hope that DRAP would be international standard in next five years.
She said there was always chance of improvement and efforts were being made to make DRAP more efficient.
The minister said quality assurance directorate was set up in DRAP for the first time to check quality of drugs.
She said some 5500 samples were collected from across the country and around 1450 cases were registered against various pharma companies.
She said two companies were fined for violating the standard besides 10 years confinement to the involved persons.
The minister said DRAP had decided 880 cases so far and imposed Rs. 35 million fine on the companies.
She said DRAP with the assistance of FIA had also raided in Hayatabad and Lyari on complaints of manufacturing spurious drugs. Now physical visits were made before registration of new medicine, she added.
Saira said bar code was introduced on medicines for the first time to ensure quality and standard drugs.
She said time frame was given to the pharma industry to introduce bar code on tablets also.
She also clarified that World Health Organization had not issued any report about manufacturing of spurious drugs in the country.
The minister said policy has also been framed for first time in the country to fix prices of drugs in the country.
She conceded that there was a huge potential of export of herbal medicines in the country which would be promoted.
Earlier, speaking on a deferred motion that the House may discuss the overall performance of the DRAP with particular reference to its oversight in the matters of availability, quality and increase in prices of medicines, Mohamamd Azam Khan Swati said there was dire need to end cartelization in medicines.
He stressed the need to frame more rules for DRAP and enhance punishment for making spurious drugs in the country.
However, Mian Ateeq Sheikh appreciated the DRAP contribution and said country pharmaceutical industry was going good job. Pakistan exports medicines both to developed and under-developed counties, he added.
Col (R) Tahir Hussain Mashhadi said the prices of medicines were high in the country which needed to be checked.
He said steps should also be taken to purge the country from sub-standard and spurious drugs.
Usman Khan Kakar alleged that spurious drugs were being sold across the country and the federal and all provincial governments have failed to control sale of sub-standard and spurious drugs.
Nasreen Jalil said the government should take serious measures to control sale of sub-standard and fake drugs in the country. She said DRAP should take steps in favors of ordinary citizens.
Mohsin Aziz said b-grade chemicals were being used in preparation of branded medicines in the country.
Ashok Kumar alleged that DRAP has failed to reduce to prices of medicines and injections.
Mushahid Hussain Syed said DRAP has to take imitative to control sale of sub-standard and spurious drugs in the country. He said unfortunately spurious drugs and adulterated food items were being sold and manufacture which needed to be checked.
Taj Haider said free of cost liver and kidney transplants facilities in two places was being given to the people in Sindh. However, he said the federal government should support the provincial government as the medicines were very expensive.
