DRAP all set to digitize its systems by end of 2023

• This was stated by DRAP CEO Asim Rauf.
• DRAP  fully committed to modernize entire system.
• Manufacturers should  establish drug testing systems.

KARACHI: Drug Regulatory Authority of Pakistan (DRAP) is all set to digitize 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 while meeting the Karachi-based drug producers at a meeting organized by the South Zone of the Pakistan Pharmaceutical Manufacturers’ Association (PPMA).

Rauf told the drug manufacturers that digitization of the DRAP was one step forward towards modernization of the pharmaceutical sector of the country as per international standards.

He said the automation would be adopted to such an extent that medicine producers wouldn’t be required to physically visit the DRAP offices not even once for getting necessary approvals for pharmaceutical products in the country.

He told participants of the meeting that DRAP was fully committed to the cause of modernizing entire systems of drug production as per the latest international standards for enhancing exports of medicines from the country.

He urged all the 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.

Rauf said that the decades-old obsolete drug inspection system was gradually being done away with and in its place, a risk-based auditing regime for drug industries was being introduced by the DRAP to uphold the honor and dignity of the medicine producers.

He urged the large producers of medicines that already have obtained the necessary international accreditations to help other drug manufacturers in the country to meet the same global standards for enhancing medicinal exports from Pakistan.

He told the audience that the DRAP had recommended to 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.

The DRAP chief offered to the drug manufacturers to meet after every six months to review the process of removing bottlenecks for enhancing pharmaceutical exports from Pakistan.

PPMA Chairman, Syed Farooq Bukhari said that pharmaceutical exports from Pakistan stood at around US $ 280 million a year.

He said the PPMA had been making efforts to enhance it to $10 billion in the coming few years to become one percent of the global pharmaceutical export market.

He said the PPMA would fully support the policy decisions of the government to increase exports of medicines from the country so that the drug producers could play an important role in reversing the economic downturn.

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