Pakistan Minister gives out regulatory advice to pharma industry

The Minister of State for National Health Services, Regulations and Coordination stated that the local pharma industry is required to urgently address the medicine regulatory system for patient safety.

Minister Saira Afzal Tarar said this while presiding over a pharmaceutical export seminar at Islamabad. She said that for enhancing exports, Drug Regulatory Authority Pakistan (DRAP) and the local industry need to improve Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP) compliance.

The minister also said that majority of local pharmaceutical companies are still exporting to lease and low priced market, and are not able to enter into high priced market.

She said the local industry needs to improve facilities, expertise and practices on one hand and at the same time they must perform intensive marketing campaigns to catch stringent and high-value markets.

For enhancing the capacity of DRAP and the industry, the authority in collaboration with international health partners has organised a series of workshops and training seminars during last two years for creating awareness and imparting knowledge.

However, the minister also stated that major reforms in drug regulation introduced over the last three years have also led to an improved situation with regards to export of Pakistani pharmaceutical products.