The Minister of Health announces an important reform to stop fake medicines and improve quality control
KARACHI:
Federal Health Minister Syed Mustafa Kamal on Saturday announced that Pakistan will introduce a barcode system for all medicines within the next 60 days as part of a major initiative to eliminate substandard and counterfeit medicines and ensure quality control in the pharmaceutical sector.
Addressing an event during his visit to Pakistan Pharmaceutical Manufacturers Association (PPMA) headquarters, the minister said that the Ministry of Health and relevant institutions have completed all preparations for nationwide implementation of the scheme.
He said the barcode system would enable full traceability of medicines, ensure availability of genuine medicines to patients and help eliminate fake products from the market.
He said Pakistan currently produces 85 percent of the medicines it needs locally, but almost 99 percent of the raw materials are imported, mainly from China, calling it a major economic challenge. He highlighted the need for local production of pharmaceutical raw materials to reduce dependence on imports.
