Federal Health Minister Syed Mustafa Kamal has said that that elimination of counterfeit and substandard medicines is inevitable, reported 24NewsHD TV channel.
Chairing a meeting during his visit to Drug Regulatory Authority (DRAP) in Islamabad on Tuesday, Syed Mustafa Kamal said a coordinated strategy will be formulated in collaboration with the provincial governments to eliminate counterfeit medicines.
Federal Health Minister said that we will have to protect ourselves from the threats to human lives at all costs.
The effects of our decisions directly affect human lives and the common man should benefit from the results of our decisions and actions, Syed Mustafa Kamal said.
The Federal Health Minister said local manufacturing of pharmaceutical industries should be facilitated.
Syed Mustafa Kamal said that DRAP policies should be investment-friendly so that foreign manufacturing companies prefer to invest in Pakistan.
A conducive environment should be created for investment and international standards will have to be adopted to increase the export of medicines, Syed Mustafa Kamal said.
He said the journey to bring DRAP to WHO level-4 should be accelerated.
A national medicine policy will be formulated with mutual consultation of all stakeholders and the existing laws will be made according to the needs of the modern era, Syed Mustafa Kamal said.
Earlier, CEO DRAP briefed the Federal Minister about the functions, performance and challenges faced by the institution.
Reporter: Babar Shehzad