DRAP launches crackdown against fake, illegal medicines in Islamabad

ISLAMABAD: A major crackdown against fake and illegal medicines carried out in the federal capital as Drug Regulatory Authority of Pakistan (DRAP) inspectors raided 21 pharmacies, distributors and medical stores in Islamabad on Friday, ARY News reported.

Sources said that five pharmacies and medical stores have been sealed in Islamabad over the violation of DRAP Act for an appropriate storage system and services of pharmacists. The teams have also recovered 55 illegal and smuggled medicines worth millions.

DRAP officials carried out the action over a complaint of substandard beauty creams, whereas, various samples of beauty creams were tested in laboratories over the orders of the authority, sources added.

Read: DRAP to launch countrywide drive against substandard, spurious medicines

The health experts found the presence of over quantity of steroidal drug in a famous brand of beauty cream, which led by the DRAP official to take action against the manufacturing company, sources said.

Earlier on October 24, PM’s Special Assistant on Health Dr  Zafar Mirza had announced that the Drug Regulatory Authority of Pakistan (DRAP) is launching a countrywide campaign against substandard medicines.

Read: DRAP to start inspection of pharmaceutical companies

He said a crackdown is being launched throughout the country to eradicate the menace of unregistered, spurious and sub-standard medicine.

In addition to medicine quality, he added, drug regulatory authority of Pakistan will also take stern action against violation of fixed prices of medicines.

Dr. Mirza said the availability of medicines is also a high priority for the health ministry as well as its implementation instruments like DRAP. He added the inspectors of DRAP and provincial drug administrations have the full support of the government, including health and civil administration from all the levels of the government.