ISLAMABAD: A Subcommittee of the Senate Standing Committee on National Health Services (NHS) on Wednesday directed the Drug Regulatory Authority of Pakistan (Drap) to take strict action against the companies involved in manufacturing spurious drugs.

The committee, chaired by National Party Senator Dr Ashok Kumar, also suggested checking supply of spurious drugs into the medicine market in Rawalpindi because it will improve the situation in Islamabad as most of the medicines came from this market.

Earlier, representatives of Drap informed the meeting that from April 2018 to November 2018 as many as 23,000 raids were held on medical stores and pharmaceutical companies and 3,445 cases were registered for violation of laws.

The committee chairman also directed the authorities concerned to ensure the cold chain of vaccines across the country.

Vaccines need to be stored at a specific temperature and any variation in temperature can affect the efficacy of vaccine.

Dr Kumar also directed the authorities concerned to stop medicines smuggling from a neighbouring country because no one can confirm the efficacy of those medicines.

Published in Dawn, February 21st, 2019