Health minister says barcode scan will flag fake medicines from November

Federal health minister Mustafa Kamal told the National Assembly that from the end of November a buyer with a mobile phone will be able to scan the barcode printed on a medicine's label or bottle and find out whether the drug is genuine, with a red warning displayed when it is not.

The verification system is expected to become operational next month, he said, and advised people to carry their phones when buying medicines from the end of November. Minute Mirror reported that when people can actually start using the facility will depend on the system's launch and availability.

The two reports of his remarks gave different figures for the number of medicines on record. Minute Mirror reported the minister saying the government holds a database of around 75,000 medicines. UrduPoint reported him saying that more than 86,000 medicines have been registered under the Track and Trace system.

Kamal said the Drug Regulatory Authority of Pakistan has been given wider powers to act against counterfeit medicines, as part of what he described as the government's work to eliminate fake drugs across the country.

On financing, he said foreign assistance accounts for only about 3% of Pakistan's health budget, and that vaccines take the largest share of that support. By 2030 Pakistan will have to buy all its vaccines from its own resources, he said, at a cost of about $1.2 billion, and preparations need to begin now.

He also addressed the supply of flu vaccines. Pakistan previously had four flu vaccine brands, he said. When two companies asked for permission to raise their prices, the government did not approve the request, and those companies stopped importing their vaccines. The minister told the assembly that Pakistan is not facing a shortage of flu vaccines.

Kamal gave an update on a hospital built with Chinese support. He said China provided a hospital worth Rs980 million as a gift to Pakistan, but the facility stayed unused for a long time and its medical equipment was damaged. The government has now converted it into a public hospital, and Indus Hospital has qualified to manage its operations. The 182-bed hospital has started providing services, he said.