2D
bar-coding of drugs to eradicate counterfeit and spurious drugs; DRAP moving
with practical support to pharmaceutical companies through its training program
across the country. Spokes man of DRAP.
DRAP
said Time for protection of public from spurious and counterfeit drugs through
technical system is close. Pharmaceutical manufacturers are required to emboss
2D Barcode data matrix on their registered drug products from all batches
manufactured by December, 15, 2017. By virtue of Notification No. 470(I)/2017
issued by DRAP on 15th June, 2017, it is mandatory for all Market
Authorization Holders of Pharmaceutical drugs will emboss a 2D barcode on their
products. Barcodes will be according to the standards of GS-I embedding Product
identification code (GTIN), Expiry Date, Batch Number and Price on the
secondary packaging of drugs.
Companies
will maintain database of bar-coding information of their products and will
also submit it to DRAP.DRAP has developed an online portal named as “Drug
Regulatory Information System (DRIS)”.Pharma companies and market authorization
holders of products will access this portal through a validated account; without
any subscription fee.
In
her statement on the occasion Federal Minister for National Health Services
Saira Afzal Tarar expressed satisfaction that major initiatives taken by her
Ministry is now being implemented and will give a major boost to eradicating
spurious and counterfeit drugs.
In
this regard, DRAP IT professional arranged training sessions for technical personnel
of Pharma manufacturers in all provincial headquarters. First training session
was held in Karachi on 30th October attended by representative from
national and multinational companies and their associations including Pharma
Bureau and Pakistan Pharmaceutical Manufacturers Association. Subsequent
sessions are being arranged in Lahore, Peshawar and Islamabad. Focal person
from Division of Management Information System, DRAP conducted
this training and answered the technical queries regarding the firms online
registration on this software. He stated that DRAP is working on complete track
and trace system as per international practices.
A
step wise approach has been adopted while taking stake holders on board. In
second phase, bar-coding will also be mandatory for primary and tertiary
packaging of drugs. In third phase, each pack will contain a unique
serialization code along with 2D data matrix. All these steps will be very
helpful to eradicate the menace of spurious, substandard, falsified and counterfeiting
drugs form market of Pakistan. The training material is also available on the
website of Authority.
