Govt to roll out medicine barcode system within 60 days

ISLAMABAD: Federal Health Minister Syed Mustafa Kamal has said the government will introduce a barcode system for all medicines across Pakistan within the next 60 days, describing it as a step aimed at stopping counterfeit and substandard drugs from reaching patients.

Speaking at an event during his visit to the Pakistan Pharmaceutical Manufacturers Association headquarters, the minister said the Ministry of Health and other relevant institutions had completed preparations for the system’s nationwide rollout. He said the barcode mechanism would allow full traceability of medicines and support quality control in the pharmaceutical sector.

Kamal said the new system would help ensure that patients receive genuine medicines and would assist authorities in removing fake products from the market. He presented the initiative as part of a broader effort to strengthen oversight of drug supplies and improve confidence in medicines available to the public.

The minister also highlighted the structure of the local pharmaceutical industry, saying Pakistan currently produces 85 per cent of its medicine requirements domestically. At the same time, he said nearly 99 per cent of raw materials used by the sector are imported, mostly from China, and described that dependence as a major economic challenge. He stressed the need to begin producing pharmaceutical raw materials locally in order to cut reliance on imports.