LAHORE: The Young Doctors Association (YDA) has urged the FIA to also include the Drug Regulatory Authority of Pakistan (DRAP) in the ongoing probe into unregistered cardiac stents scam.

“It is surprising that no one has thought of probing the affairs of DRAP which is responsible for registration of medicines and stents,” said YDA-Pakistan general-secretary Dr Salman Kazmi here on Monday.

He said a formal application had been submitted to the FIA for questioning the DRAP chairman and registration board into the ongoing probe.

Dr Kazmi said the DRAP had yet to update data on its website pertaining to prices of registered medicines and medical devices used in surgical procedures though it was constituted some four years ago.

“It is the duty of DRAP to regulate the prices and standards of medicines, diagnostics and other medical devices, including stents, in the country. How can it be absolved of this obligation?” wondered Dr Kazmi.

Since there is no laboratory to check the quality of medical devices and implants like stents in the country, the DRAP “uses a pick and choose policy for registration of medical devices. Thousands of applications have been lying pending with DRAP for registration. This should also be probed,” he said.

Dr Kazmi said that merely registration of cases against some doctors would not end the malpractice.

“It is a mafia which cannot operate without the involvement of senior officers of a number of government departments,” he said while urging Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif to intervene and order suspension of the DRAP chairman and registration board so that real culprits be brought to book and award exemplary punishment.

Published in Dawn January 24th, 2017