The Drug Regulatory Authority of Pakistan (DRAP) is all set to digitise its entire systems by the end of the current year to ensure hassle-free approval and registration of new medicines in the country as per the international best pharmaceutical practices. This was stated by DRAP Chief Executive Officer Asim Rauf during a meeting with Karachi-based drug producers. The meeting was organised by the South Zone of the Pakistan Pharmaceutical Manufacturers’ Association (PPMA). He told the drug manufacturers that digitisation of DRAP was one step forward towards modernisation of the country’s pharmaceutical sector as per international standards. He said automation would be adopted to such an extent that medicine producers wouldn’t be required to physically visit the DRAP offices to get necessary approvals for pharmaceutical products in the country.

He told participants of the meeting that DRAP was fully committed to modernising the entire systems of drug production as per the latest international standards to enhance exports of medicines from the country. He urged all medicine manufacturers in the country to establish drug testing systems and hire qualified human resources in the requisite number to meet international drug production standards. Asim Rauf said that the decades-old obsolete drug inspection system was being phased out and in its place, a risk-based auditing regime for drug industries was being introduced by DRAP to uphold the honour and dignity of the medicine producers. He urged large producers of medicines, who have already obtained the necessary international accreditations, to help other drug manufacturers in the country to meet the same global standards and enhance medicinal exports.

He told the audience that the DRAP had recommended the government to deal in the Chinese currency RMB for the import of raw materials for drug production and medical devices for uninterrupted pharmaceutical production in the country, which could otherwise be halted due to drastic measures taken by the government against imports. The DRAP chief called on the drug manufacturers to meet after every six months to review the process of removing bottlenecks for enhancing pharmaceutical exports. He said the pharmaceutical industry of Pakistan had the ability to compete with drug producers from any part of the world in capturing the global export market of medicinal products. Speaking at the meeting, PPMA chairman Syed Farooq Bukhari said that pharmaceutical exports from Pakistan stood at around $280 million a year.

He said PPMA had been making efforts to enhance exports to $10 billion in the coming few years to account for one percent of the global pharmaceutical export market. He said PPMA would fully support the policy decisions of the government to increase exports of medicines so that the drug producers could play an important role in reversing the economic downturn. Former PPMA chairman Kaiser Waheed suggested that DRAP end its traditional system of inspecting drug manufacturing sites, and should instead launch an advisory service for medicine producers to overcome technical gaps in their manufacturing facilities. He said DRAP should simplify and speed up the approval process for drug exporters.

Credit : Independent News Pakistan-WealthPk