Karachi: In a recent letter sent by Pakistan Pharmaceutical Manufacturers' Association, it was requested to the Ministry of National Health Services, Regulations and Coordination (NHSRC) to get clearance from Drug Regulatory Authority of Pakistan (DRAP) to import (Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients) APIs from India.
The official notification forwarded by Secretary-General, PPMA, Nawaz Ahmed, mentioned that the APIs import from India had been restricted as DRAP has not issued clearance yet.
"This will lead to severe shortages of essential medicine consequently," the official document said.
The notification also said that in the absence of raw materials, the pharmaceutical industry could face a significant setback. "The pharmaceutical industry is bound to shut down its operation and would not be responsible for shortages of essential medicines in the country," the document warned.
Meanwhile, a local pharmaceutical company plans to import a generic version of remdesivir a broad-spectrum antiviral medication that has shown to reduce recovery time in Covid-19 patients from a Bangladesh-based manufacturer.
Dr Muattar Hanif
The author is Editor at Dental News Pakistan and can be reached at newsdesk@medicalnewsgroup.com.pk
