LAHORE - Perturbed by ‘slow paced negotiations’, the Pakistan Pharmaceutical Manufacturers Association and other stakeholders have decided to relaunch protest for withdrawal of amendments in the Drug Act 1976 and DRAP Act 2012.
Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif had constituted a committee headed by Adviser on Health Kh Salman Rafiq to address grievances of pharmaceutical companies, distributors, whole sellers and retailers regarding recent amendments in the Drug Act and DRAP Act.
The Committee comprising Parliamentary Secretary Health Kh Imran Nazir, Secretary Health, Director General Health and Secretary Law has representations from PPMA, distributors, whole sellers and retailers. Since its constitution on August 19 to pacify protesting pharmacists, retailers and whole sellers, the Committee has met only once but without reaching to any settlement.
Departure of Kh Salman Rafiq for China has further slowed down the process of redressing complaints of PPMA, manufacturer of homeopathic and herbal medicines, distributors, retailers and whole sellers.
In the wake of lackluster response from the government, the PPMA convened an emergent meeting with other stakeholders on Wednesday for discussing prevailing situation and devising future course of action.
Senior Vice Chairman PPMA Mansoor Dilawar chaired the meeting also attended by President PPMA North Region (Punjab, Khyber Pakhtunkhawa) Ijaz Siddiqi, former Chairman Amjad Jawa and representatives of partner associations.
Giving details of decisions taken in the meeting, Amjad Jawa said that the participants evaluated the option of giving a deadline to the government for resolving the issue.
“Regular meetings of the committee have not been convened. Government has so far done nothing except buying time to avoid protest. The attitude of Secretary Prosecution was rude with other members in the single meeting of the committee. They (govt representatives) did not listen to our viewpoint. Now we have left with no other option except to go on strike. If the government failed to resolve the issue, we will launch protest. We will give a deadline before re-launching the protest in a week. We will close down manufacturing units and markets to press for the acceptance of our legitimate demands”, Amjad Jawa said.
The Punjab government has recently promulgated Ordinance, bringing amendments in Drug Act and DRAP Act. The changes have given extra ordinary powers to drug inspectors, imprisonment for pharma companies owners for selling substandard drugs.
After recent amendments, substandard and spurious drugs fall in the same category.
“Licensed firms manufacturing registered drugs should be governed by the same law in practice in developed countries. Giving registered firms and those doing business of spurious drugs same treatment is unjustified and against all norms of justice. Giving drug inspectors powers to prosecute and give verdict is injustice,” Amjad Jawa said, adding, it was not possible for registered firms to continue business under these circumstances.