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Month: May 2022

DRAP invites comments of stakeholders on the draft Guidelines on Good Distribution Practices for Pharmaceutical and Biological Products

Ijaz Mustafa Drugs, Publications, Regulatory Updates ,

Distribution of drug products includes all activities consisting of procuring, storage / holding, supplying, importing, and / or exporting of products. Such activities are carried out by the marketing authorization /registration holder including manufacturers/importers or their authorized distributors, which supply products to the pharmacies/licensed drug sale outlets and healthcare institutions which are entitled to dispense drug products.

Good Distribution Practice (GDP) is the set of standards of quality assurance for sourcing, handling, storage, and transportation of pharmaceutical and biological drug products under appropriate conditions, as required by the marketing authorization (MA) / registrant, or product specifications. To maintain the quality of pharmaceutical and biological products, every activity in the supply chain and distribution network should be carried out according to the principles of Good Distribution and Storage Practices.

These guidelines are drafted to provide appropriate systems and structures to assist manufacturers, distributors and wholesalers in fulfilling their responsibilities of planning and conducting various activities in the distribution and supply chain, which will be helpful in prevention of proliferation of unauthorized/unregistered, substandard and falsified products in the market.

This draft guideline is uploaded on the official website of DRAP dated 28th May, 2022, for seeking comments and suggestions from stakeholders on the draft document. Stakeholders can submit their comments and suggestions within 15 days of uploading this document using prescribed format, (further information on comments submission can access on this link. Comments and suggestions can be forwarded via email to ajmal.sohail∂dra.gov.pk, copying at akbar.ali∂dra.gov.pk , or can be posted at mailing address, Additional Director, Quality Assurance & Lab Testing, Drug Regulatory Authority of Pakistan, 3rd floor, TF Complex, 7th Mauve Area, G-9/4, Islamabad.

Please click to view the draft Guidelines-on-Good-Distribution-PracticesDownload

National Pharmacovigilance Centre, DRAP holds one-day training session for Healthcare Professionals in collaboration with regional centre.

Asad Ullah Events, Uncategorized
National Pharmacovigilance Centre, DRAP holds one-day training session for Healthcare Professionals in collaboration with regional centre.


National Pharmacovigilance Centre (NPC), Drug Regulatory Authority of Pakistan (DRAP) in collaboration with Islamabad Pharmacovigilance Centre and Shifa
International Hospital, Islamabad conducted a one-day pharmacovigilance training session on 19th of May, 2022. Director and Deputy Director Pharmacy Services Division, Team Lead Vigilance and Focal Persons of National Pharmacovigilance Centre and Islamabad Pharmacovigilance Centre attended the training session.

Pharmacovigilance focal persons of public and private sector hospitals of Islamabad were trained on ADRs reporting as per Pharmacovigilance Rules, 2022. Hands-on training on collecting and filling in ADRs reporting forms and subsequent causality assessment was provided to the participants. The training was concluded with the hope of arranging further such sessions in the future.

Islamabad 19th May, 2022: One-day training session on pharmacovigilance activities for healthcare professional conducted by National Pharmacovigilance Centre, DRAP, Islamabad in collaboration with regional pharmacovigilance centre, Islamabad

Stakeholder Comments are invited on draft guidance for Categorization of deficiencies in Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP)

Ijaz Mustafa Drugs ,

Drug Regulatory Authority of Pakistan (DRAP) aims at providing a comprehensive guidance to the inspectors for categorizing the GMP non-compliances found during inspections. This document is intended to inform stakeholders regarding the principles used to classify GMP deficiencies and provide examples of the classification of different types of deficiencies.

The key objectives of categorizing the GMP non-compliances during report writing are:-

The harmonization of the classification of GMP deficiencies to facilitate synchronized reporting of GMP deficiencies from inspections across the inspectorate. Harmonization will help ensure that there is a consistent view across the inspectorate of what constitutes a “Critical” deficiency and what constitutes a “Major” deficiency. Risk management principles will be applied to the categorization of these deficiencies dependent on the type of product manufactured or process.

This guidance document is also intended to:

  1. provide actions to be taken by inspectorates in response to the reporting of critical and major deficiencies;
  2. enhance communication, information sharing and scientific exchange to promote increased consistency and predictability in regulatory
  3. to provide a tool to support the risk-based classification of GMP deficiencies from inspections and to establish consistency amongst Inspectorates.

This guidance will enable Industry to be informed of the principles used to classify GMP deficiencies and also provide examples of the classification of
different types of deficiencies. Notwithstanding, this approach is not binding as the classification takes also into account the context of the finding and the quality history of the site. It does not remove the responsibility of the company in assessing the impact of he finding on the products already on the market and/or on their quality system.

Consistency of classification of GMP deficiencies will assist in the following:

  1. Improve consistency in reporting and facilitate communication between inspectors;
  2. Harmonize inspectorate response and management of deficiencies classified as “Critical”, “Major” and “Other”;
  3. Provide transparency in how the deficiencies are classified; and
  4. Simplify deficiency trend analysis based on harm

This draft guideline is uploaded on the official website of DRAP dated 28th May, 2022, for seeking comments and suggestions from stakeholders on the draft document. Stakeholders can submit their comments and suggestions within 15 days of uploading this document using prescribed format, (further information on comments submission can access on this link. Comments and suggestions can be forwarded via email to ajmal.sohail∂dra.gov.pk, copying at hasan.afzaal∂dra.gov.pk , or can be posted at mailing address, Additional Director, Quality Assurance & Lab Testing, Drug Regulatory Authority of Pakistan, 3rd floor, TF Complex, 7th Mauve Area, G-9/4, Islamabad.

Please click to view the Draft Guidance on categorization of deficiencies in GMPDownload

DRAP issued Guidelines for Public Health Programs (PHPs) to promote Pharmacovigilance activities and enhancing collaboration with National Pharmacovigilance Centre, DRAP.

Asad Ullah Pharmacovigilance

Drug Regulatory Authority of Pakistan (DRAP) aims at providing a holistic system of Pharmacovigilance in the country. Public Health Programs are key stakeholders involved in the reporting, assessment and risk communication of various un-wanted effects arising after the use of drugs, vaccines and other therapeutic goods. Reporting of Adverse Events associated with the use of therapeutic goods exclusively being used by PHPs is essential to a pharmacovigilance system.

The key objectives of pharmacovigilance activities in public health programs are:-

  1. To improve public health and safety in relation to the use of therapeutic goods in PHPs;
  2. To detect problems related to the use of therapeutic goods and associated risk communication in a timely manner
  3. To encourage the safe, rational and more effective use of therapeutic goods.

This guideline will assist the Public Health Programs (PHPs) for enhancement of pharmacovigilance activities, and provide a guidance on communication channels among PHPs and Pharmacovigilance Centres for collaborative working to synergize activities within the National Pharmacovigilance system of Pakistan.

DRAP published the draft of this guidelines on its website on 23rd April, 2022 inviting the comments of stakeholders on the draft. After through consultation and careful consideration, fist edition of the guidelines on the pharmacovigilance activities in the public health programs are finalized. Nevertheless, anyone can still furnish his/her comments on the guidelines using our comments submissions methods for consideration in the future editions of the document.

Please click to view the document, GUIDELINES ON PHARMACOVIGILANCE FOR PUBLIC HEALTH PROGRAMMES