Amendments in the “Pakistan Drug Act 1976” Generated ProtestsAmendments in the “Pakistan Drug Act 1976” Generated Protests

Amendments in the “Pakistan Drug Act 1976” Generated Protests

Amendments in the “Pakistan Drug Act 1976” Generated Protests: Since 1960, Pakistan Chemist & Druggist Association (PCDA) is rendering uninterrupted services to the different segment of its members. It assures that every effort is made following the code of ethics for the effective implementation of rules and regulations.

However a recent change by the government in the “Drug Act 1976” irked anger in the association members. The Drug Act 1976 was passed on May 18 1976 and its purpose is to regulate the import, export, manufacture, storage, distribution and sale of drugs.

According to the amendments to the Drug Act, seller of substandard medicines will get punishment of 5 year jail with Rs. 1 million fine, seller of fake medicine will undergo 5 year imprisonment with fine of Rs.50 million. While those found selling medicines without license will face imprisonment for 10 years and will be fined Rs.100 million.

Amendments in the “Pakistan Drug Act 1976” Generated Protests
Amendments in the “Pakistan Drug Act 1976” Generated Protests

This anger against the amendments in the Drug Act 1976 took the shape of a protest in Rawalpindi and Lahore. Arshad Awan, President of Pakistan Chemists and Druggists Association (Rawalpindi Chapter) told to the media sources that all factories and medical stores would remain closed and the protest would continue against cancellation of drug sale’s licenses, ban on issuance of new drug sale’s licenses, imposition of Schedule G over medical stores, wholesale dealers and distributors as well as the abolition of dispenser drug sales’ licenses. They criticized that this amendment would result in an economic disaster of druggists and chemists and people associated with medical business.

PPMA and 12 other organizations called a strike against the amendments which were introduced last year. To record their protest, a large number of activists belonging to the PPMA, the Pakistan Young Pharmacist Association (PYPA) participated and termed these amendments as “black laws”. Majority of pharmacies and medical stores kept their shutters down to protest against amendments to the Drug Act. As a result patients had problems in buying relevant medicines since the medical stores remains closed. The strike created problems for patients in the hospitals as many operations were postponed due to non-availability of medicines.

Government officials and provincial ministers Rana Sana Ullah, Imran Nazir, Khawaja Salman Rafique and Mujtaba Shuja-ur-Rehman had promised for a meeting with CM Punjab in this regard to sort out the matter with the representatives of associations of druggists.

But it has turned blank as none of the ministers is responding to the representatives, showing their lack of seriousness in resolving the problems being faced by the druggists, chemists and pharmaceutical manufactures stated by a member of Pharmacy association. If Punjab government remains silent over the issue and fails to resolve, they would expand the protest and come on the roads along with their families, he warned.

Recently medical shops remained closed in Punjab and Medical store owners have been protesting against the amended Punjab Drug Act 2017, under which a pharmacist’s presence in the medical store has been declared mandatory, whereas a punishment would be awarded over untidiness in stores.

The Drug Act states anyone who exports, imports or manufactures drugs for sale without a license shall be handed a prison term of up to five years and a fine that extends to Rs.50 million.

But this is a problem for the patients, those who are seeking medicines as shops remained closed in Punjab yesterday.

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