The Drug Regulatory Authority of Pakistan (DRAP) has been granted membership as a regulatory authority in the International Pharmaceutical Regulators Programme (IPRP), a global network of national medicine regulators focused on coordination and regulatory harmonisation. The decision was announced during the 17th meeting of the IPRP Management Committee held on June 3-4 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
What is the IPRP?
The IPRP brings together regulatory agencies from different countries to share information and align approaches related to the safety, quality and efficacy of medicines. According to officials, DRAP’s inclusion will enable participation in international working groups dealing with pharmaceutical regulation and policy coordination.
Government Response
Federal Minister for National Health Services Syed Mustafa Kamal said the development aligns Pakistan’s regulatory framework with international practices. DRAP Chief Executive Officer Dr Obaidullah Malik said the membership would facilitate engagement with global regulatory counterparts and support ongoing reforms, including digitalisation of regulatory processes.
Expected Benefits
DRAP stated that the move is expected to support improved regulatory coordination, including faster review processes through reliance mechanisms and enhanced monitoring of medicine quality and traceability. The authority also noted that the development follows its recent observer status in the International Council for Harmonisation (ICH) and the World Health Organization’s prequalification of its Central Drugs Laboratory in Karachi.
