Islamabad: In a move aimed at enhancing public health and protecting citizens from counterfeit medicines, Pakistan’s Federal Cabinet has sanctioned the nationwide implementation of a Track and Trace System for pharmaceutical products, announced Federal Minister for Health Mustafa Kamal. The initiative seeks to ensure the traceability and verification of medicines throughout the supply chain.

According to Press Information Department, the Cabinet has also approved amendments to the Drug Labeling and Packing Rules, 1978, facilitating the introduction of a digital system for tracking medicines. This development is intended to eliminate counterfeit, fake, and substandard medicines from the market. The implementation of standardized 2D barcodes and serialization data on packaging will allow regulators to monitor medicines from production to consumption.

Health Minister Mustafa Kamal stated that the new system will provide consumers with access to information on a medicine’s expiry date, price, and verification status, thereby enabling informed healthcare decisions. The Drug Regulatory Authority of Pakistan (DRAP) will oversee the rollout of the system and issue technical guidelines to assist the pharmaceutical industry in compliance.

The Minister underscored the significance of the initiative in strengthening the security and quality of the pharmaceutical supply chain. By adopting advanced technology, Pakistan aims to enhance its position in regional pharmaceutical regulation and oversight. Kamal concluded that the system will establish a barrier against counterfeit medicines, ensuring public health and trust.