KARACHI: Chairman of the Pakistan Pharmaceutical Manufacturers Association (PPMA), Tauqeer Ul Haq, has expressed full support for the government’s crackdown on fake and counterfeit medicines. He emphasized the need for strict action against those involved in the illegal production and distribution of counterfeit drugs.
Speaking in a morning show about the seriousness of the issue, Tauqeer Ul Haq revealed that he had already held two meetings with authorities to discuss strategies for combating the menace of fake medicines. He pointed out that not only are the manufacturers of counterfeit medicines using fake addresses, but they are also imitating the brands of registered pharmaceutical companies, misleading both consumers and healthcare providers.
The PPMA chairman urged pharmaceutical companies to remain vigilant and verify that their brand names are not being misused in the market. He highlighted that fake drugs do not have barcodes, whereas original medicines come with proper barcode verification, which allows consumers to authenticate them through scanning.
Tauqeer Ul Haq called upon the government to take decisive action and ensure that those responsible for producing and distributing fake drugs are brought to justice. He also urged citizens to report counterfeit medicines through the Drug Regulatory Authority of Pakistan (DRAP) website to help authorities identify and eliminate fake drugs from the market.
Meanwhile, recent raids by drug inspectors have led to the seizure of several counterfeit medicines, which were later confirmed to be fake following analysis at the Sindh Drug Testing Laboratory. The pharmaceutical companies whose brands were imitated have disowned any connection with these fake products.
The head of the Drug Testing Laboratory has also issued a public warning about the risks of counterfeit medicines, advising citizens to purchase only from registered pharmacies. Given the severity of this issue, urgent attention is required to protect public health and ensure the availability of safe and genuine medicines in the market.