ISLAMABAD – The Drug Regulatory Authority of Pakistan (DRAP) has launched digital system for verification of medicines in order to combat counterfeit drugs.
The authority has urged citizens to use its “Mehfooz Dawa” mobile application to verify the authenticity, registration status and official prices of medicines.
The initiative aims to protect consumers against counterfeit pharmaceutical products and overcharging by providing a digital mechanism to check medicine details through smartphone scanning.
Under the system, consumers can scan the 2D barcode printed on medicine packaging to access information about the product, including its registration and approved price.
The development follows the launch of Pakistan’s centralised pharmaceutical track-and-trace system, which became operational on October 9.
The system is designed to improve monitoring of medicine distribution and strengthen oversight of pharmaceutical supply chains across the country.
Sajid Shah, spokesperson for the Ministry of National Health Services, said around 800 pharmaceutical companies and more than 90,000 medicines had been registered with DRAP.
He explained that the barcode-based mechanism would allow consumers to check pharmaceutical products and help ensure access to safe, effective and quality medicines.
The centralised tracking system will also assist regulatory authorities in monitoring the movement of medicines through the supply chain. It is expected to facilitate the identification and recall of products if complaints or quality-related concerns emerge.
