Daily Times

LAHORE: The Punjab government has decided to amend the Drugs Act, 1976, enhancing fines for producers or sellers of substandard drugs with an aim to eradicate the menace of fake drugs through effective enforcement of law.

The Primary and Secondary Healthcare (P&SHC) Department would send a summary in this regard to the Punjab chief minister for final approval. After the CM’s approval, the act would be presented in Punjab Assembly for legislation procedure.

Well-placed sources in the P&SHC Department told Daily Times that Parliamentary Health Secretary Khawaja Imran Nazir chaired a meeting regarding necessary amendments in Drug Act 1976, adding that the Punjab additional chief secretary, prosecution department secretary, P&SHC secretary, law and parliamentary affairs director, technical specialised healthcare and medical education additional secretary and P&SHC deputy secretary were also present on the occasion.

Participants on the occasion reviewed the Medical and Dental Degree Ordinance 1982, Medical and Dental Council Ordinance 1962, Pharmacy Act 1967, Punjab Healthcare Commission Act 2010, Punjab consumer protection Act 2005, Nursing Council Act 1973 and the Drugs Act 1976.

The prosecution department suggested more power to the drugs inspectors, while the P&SHC and law and parliamentary affairs departments were of the view that drug-related enforcement should be made through drug inspectors under Drugs Act, 1976, adding that practices like ‘quackery’ should be dealt by the Punjab Healthcare Commission under Healthcare Commission Act, 2010.

It was proposed in the meeting that few necessary amendments would be made in Drug Act 1976, including any substandard drug that is out of chemical specifications more than 5% and up to 15% from the prescribed /approved limits shall be punishable with imprisonment for a term that may extend to five years or with fine that may extend from Rs 0.4 million to 0.5 million or both.

Any substandard drug that is out of chemical specifications more than 15% and up to 30% from the official/approved limits shall be punishable with imprisonment for a term, which may extend to five years but shall not be less than 15 days along with a fine that may extend from Rs 0.7 million to Rs 1 million.

Participants also approved that any drug declared substandard on sterility basis and/or substandard drug that is out of chemical specification more than 30% from prescribed/approved limits shall be punishable with imprisonment for a term that may extend to five years but shall not be less than six months and with a fine which may extend from Rs one million to two million.