Islamabad May 4 (TNS): A meeting was held in the Drug Regulatory Authority of Pakistan (DRAP) with Pharmaceutical Manufacturers and Importers Associations to review the implementation status of 2D Data Matrix Barcode on the packaging of the drug under the Chairmanship of Chief Executive Officer (CEO), DRAP.
The participants were briefed that Supreme Court of Pakistan in Human Right Case No. 2858/2006 dated on 28-02-2018has already directed all pharmaceutical companies to implement and enforce barcode on pharmaceutical products within a period of three months.
CEO, DRAP apprised that DRAP has already developed the software, namely, Drug Regulatory Information System (DRIS) and placed it on DRAP’s official website for manufacturers and importers and 128 manufacturers and importers of drugs have applied in DRIS and data of 15 companies has been verified whereas remaining is under verification.
More than 700 letters were issued to licensed manufacturers of drugs to implement the 2D Data Matrix Barcode on the packaging of drugs within stipulated time in compliance to Apex Court. The Pharmaceutical Manufacturers and Importers Associations were urged to provide the implementation status of their members so as to compile a comprehensive report for the Hon’ble Supreme Court. Vice Chairman Pakistan Pharmaceutical Manufacturer Association (PPMA) and representatives of Pharma Bureau, Pakistan Chemist & Druggist Association (PCDA) and Global Health Supply Chain Program participated in the meeting. PPMA was of the opinion that they require more time for implementation of 2D Data Matrix Barcode on packaging of drugs, however, multinational companies, namely, M/s GSK, M/s Aventis, M/s Novonordisk, M/s Novartis, M/s Cheise have already implemented 2D Data Matrix Barcode on secondary packaging of drugs while M/s Abbott has partially implemented.
