The Drug Regulatory Authority of Pakistan (DRAP) has launched a mobile application that lets consumers confirm whether medicines are genuine, flag counterfeit products and check government-approved prices by scanning barcodes. The authority has asked citizens to use the app, called ‘Mehfooz Dawa’.
The app uses two-dimensional (2D) barcode technology. When a smartphone scans the barcode on a medicine’s packaging, the app displays the product’s registration details and its official price. A Ministry of Health spokesperson, Sajid Shah, said in a statement that around 800 pharmaceutical companies and more than 90,000 medicines are registered with DRAP across the country.
The launch forms part of wider moves to digitise the pharmaceutical sector and strengthen regulatory oversight. The focus is on transparency and on helping consumers check whether medicines are authentic and what they cost.
Also read: No compromise on 2D barcode rule for medicines, warns minister
Nationwide track and trace system goes live
Separately, a centralised track and trace system for monitoring the supply and distribution of medicines nationwide became operational on October 9, 2026. The system follows pharmaceutical products from manufacturing to the market, allowing regulators to pinpoint specific batches and start recalls if complaints arise about quality or safety.
The federal cabinet approved the nationwide rollout in June, together with amendments to the Drug Labelling and Packing Rules, 1978. Under the framework, manufacturers and importers must print standardised 2D barcodes and serialisation data on medicine packaging, so regulators can monitor products throughout the supply chain.
Health minister urges firms to register medicines online
Earlier this month, Federal Health Minister Mustafa Kamal said DRAP had become fully transparent and digitalised. He added that more than 86,000 medicines made by the pharmaceutical industry had been registered under the track and trace system.
Speaking during a visit to the Korangi Association of Trade and Industry (KATI) in Karachi, Kamal urged drug companies to register their medicines and products through an online platform.
