Federal Health Minister Mustafa Kamal has announced that citizens will soon be able to check whether a medicine is genuine or fake through a mobile app. The process will take only a few minutes.
How can you check if a medicine is fake or genuine in Pakistan?
According to details, a meeting was held under the chairmanship of Mustafa Kamal to review the trial of a two-dimensional (2D) barcode system for medicines.
The meeting was attended by the chief executive officer of the Drug Regulatory Authority of Pakistan (DRAP) and the chief executive officer of the National Information Technology Board (NITB).
How will the new barcode system work?
During the meeting, the DRAP chief executive briefed the health minister on the plan to introduce barcodes and serial numbers on medicines.
Under the new system, people will be able to scan a medicine’s barcode through a mobile app.
They will then be able to check whether the medicine is genuine or fake. The app will also provide information about the medicine’s approved price and expiry date.
Mustafa Kamal said the Ministry of Health had been working on the system for the past one and a half years.
He added that the government was committed to removing fake and low-quality medicines from the market.
When will the barcode become mandatory?
The health minister said that after October 9, all medicines would be legally required to carry a 2D barcode.
Both local and multinational pharmaceutical companies will have to add barcodes and serial numbers to their products. Imported medicines will also need to carry a 2D barcode before they can be sold.
According to the minister, DRAP has completed technical training for pharmaceutical company representatives and other relevant stakeholders.
Will veterinary medicines also carry barcodes?
Mustafa Kamal said that the barcode system would also be made mandatory for veterinary and poultry medicines.
