14yrs imprisonment, Rs50m fine for involvement in counterfeit drugs

Islamabad- The chair of the Senate Standing Committee on Interior, Senator Rehman Malik, has written to Senator Shaikh proposing an amendment to the Drugs Act 1976 that would increase the punishment for involvement in spurious drugs to up to 14 years in prison and a fine Rs50 million.

He said that he had studied the Drugs Act and during his time with the Federal Investigation Agency, he had difficulty taking action against manufacturers, distributors and sellers of spurious drugs because of loopholes in the law.

He said the prosecution of those involved with spurious medicines, and raids and checks against them cannot be undertaken without prior sanction from the drug inspector.

In his letter he has proposed amendments and additions to relevant sections of the law.

He said that the FIA should be able to raid factories reported to be manufacturing spurious medicines without clearance from the drug inspector. He also suggested that any pharmaceutical company or individual found to be involved in funding, producing and distributing such medicines should be punished with up to 14 years in prison and a fine of Rs50m.