By GM Hammad
According to WHO, Drug is a chemical substance, typically of known structure, which, when administered to a living organism, produces a biological effect. A pharmaceutical drug, also called a medication or medicine, is a chemical substance used to treat, cure, prevent, or diagnose a disease or to promote well-being. Every medicine has an approved generic name. If it is made by several companies, each will also give the medicine a brand (trade) name. So one medicine may have a generic name and also have one or more brand names. FDA's review process ensures that generic medications perform the same way in the human body and have the same intended use as the name brand medication.On 16 April 2021, The Drug Regulatory Authority of Pakistan (DRAP) directed all provincial governments to ensure that doctors prescribe medicines with their generic names in public and private sector hospitals across the country. But Young Doctors Association (YDA) didn’t agree to the new legislations and declared it as a biased decision of Director DRAP, as he is candidate in upcoming elections of Pakistan Pharmacists Association (PPA), a Pharmacist organization. YDA demanded uplifting the quality of medicine manufacturing and DRAP standards for registration of drugs along with presence of Qualified Pharmacist at every Retail Pharmacy. Though many Doctors appreciated the decision of DRAP and marked it helpful for patients. Moreover, YDA created misconception with the suffix “Dr.” which is also a basic and legal right of Pharmacists, as approved by Pharmacy Council Pakistan (PCP), YDA played negative role and clearly attempted to misguide general population regarding the use of suffix Dr. which is highly disappointing and unprofessional.
Furthermore, YDA asked Pakistan Medical Association (PMA) to take notice of the DRAP’s new rule. In a statement, PMA Secretary, General Dr. S.M. Qaisar Sajjad said that PMA condemns this move because issuing such directives is beyond the domain of DRAP. It has exceeded its authority which is unlawful. The government should have contacted stakeholders and discussed the issue at large before making such a policy, THE NEWS Reported. PMA also emphasized on the presence of Qualified Pharmacist at Retail Pharmacies. On the other hand, Pakistan Pharmacist Association (PPA) issued a Sensible and Professional press release. They highly appreciated the suggestion of DRAP and recommended that all the drugs sale outlets should be supervised by Qualified Pharmacists and drug sale license should only be issued to Pharmacist. NO PHARMACIST – NO MEDICINE. PPA also focused on the uplifting of standards of drug registration by DRAP, along with applying Generic Bio-equivalence, and uniformity of drug prices.
Similar law was enacted under the Drug Act 1976 which could not be implemented because of low quality manufacturing of local pharma industries. Presence of Pharmacist on Retail Pharmacy should be mandatory under every conditions, only 10% pharmacies have pharmacists in Pakistan, all other are running by delivering monthly fees to corrupt Drug Inspectors. DRAP should rectify all Dis and their performance should be evaluated monthly. DRAP should work for implementing Generic Bio-equivalence and price uniformity of drugs across Pakistan. YDA stance on use of prefix doctor is unlawful as the other medical fields are not abided by Pakistan Medical and Dental Council (PMDC) who issued that no field except MBBS can use this suffix while PMDC has no right to make rules for any other medical field except MBBS and BDS, So other healthcare professionals don’t need to follow any rule or regulation issued by PMDC regarding the use of suffix Dr. DRAP should take immediate action to shut all the unlicensed pharmacies opened in Physician clinics as this goes against Pharmacy act and it costs patient double price for every medicine. In the end, Doctors and Pharmacists are strong pillars of Healthcare System, they should behave sensibly and work only for the better treatment of patients.
Furthermore, YDA asked Pakistan Medical Association (PMA) to take notice of the DRAP’s new rule. In a statement, PMA Secretary, General Dr. S.M. Qaisar Sajjad said that PMA condemns this move because issuing such directives is beyond the domain of DRAP. It has exceeded its authority which is unlawful. The government should have contacted stakeholders and discussed the issue at large before making such a policy, THE NEWS Reported. PMA also emphasized on the presence of Qualified Pharmacist at Retail Pharmacies. On the other hand, Pakistan Pharmacist Association (PPA) issued a Sensible and Professional press release. They highly appreciated the suggestion of DRAP and recommended that all the drugs sale outlets should be supervised by Qualified Pharmacists and drug sale license should only be issued to Pharmacist. NO PHARMACIST – NO MEDICINE. PPA also focused on the uplifting of standards of drug registration by DRAP, along with applying Generic Bio-equivalence, and uniformity of drug prices.
Similar law was enacted under the Drug Act 1976 which could not be implemented because of low quality manufacturing of local pharma industries. Presence of Pharmacist on Retail Pharmacy should be mandatory under every conditions, only 10% pharmacies have pharmacists in Pakistan, all other are running by delivering monthly fees to corrupt Drug Inspectors. DRAP should rectify all Dis and their performance should be evaluated monthly. DRAP should work for implementing Generic Bio-equivalence and price uniformity of drugs across Pakistan. YDA stance on use of prefix doctor is unlawful as the other medical fields are not abided by Pakistan Medical and Dental Council (PMDC) who issued that no field except MBBS can use this suffix while PMDC has no right to make rules for any other medical field except MBBS and BDS, So other healthcare professionals don’t need to follow any rule or regulation issued by PMDC regarding the use of suffix Dr. DRAP should take immediate action to shut all the unlicensed pharmacies opened in Physician clinics as this goes against Pharmacy act and it costs patient double price for every medicine. In the end, Doctors and Pharmacists are strong pillars of Healthcare System, they should behave sensibly and work only for the better treatment of patients.
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