ISLAMABAD (Kashmir English): The Drug Regulatory Authority of Pakistan (DRAP) has urged consumers to use its Mehfooz Dawa app to verify the authenticity and registered prices of medicines before purchasing them.
The app allows users to scan a 2D barcode printed on medicine packaging through their smartphones. It then provides details about the registered product and its price, helping consumers identify counterfeit medicines and avoid overcharging.
More Than 90,000 Medicines Covered by System
Ministry of National Health Services spokesperson Sajid Shah said around 800 pharmaceutical companies and more than 90,000 medicines are registered with DRAP.
The centralised medicine Track and Trace System became operational across Pakistan on October 9, 2026. It also enables regulators to monitor medicines throughout the supply chain and identify specific products for investigation or recall if safety or quality concerns arise.
Pakistan first proposed introducing a medicine barcode system in 2015. The federal cabinet approved the initiative in 2017, but administrative delays held back its implementation for several years. Health Minister Mustafa Kamal later directed authorities to speed up the process.
DRAP had set October 1, 2026, as the deadline for introducing the barcode mechanism to help tackle counterfeit and expired medicines, as well as illegal sales and black marketing.
The latest initiative comes as DRAP continues to issue alerts about counterfeit, substandard, adulterated and unregistered medicines. In an alert issued on November 5, the regulator advised consumers to buy medicines and other therapeutic products only from authorised or licensed outlets and check their authenticity and condition before use.
The government says the digital system will help improve medicine safety and strengthen monitoring of pharmaceutical products across the country.
