The Drug Regulatory Authority of Pakistan (DRAP) has urged the public to use its Mehfooz Dawa app to check whether a medicine is genuine and what it should cost, as part of a drive against counterfeit drugs that remain a serious risk for patients across the country.
About 800 pharmaceutical companies and more than 90,000 medicines are registered with DRAP, said Sajid Shah, a spokesperson for the Ministry of National Health Services. He said the app lets buyers scan the 2D barcode on a medicine pack to check they are getting a safe, high-quality and effective product.
The centralised track-and-trace system for pharmaceutical products went live on October 9, Shah said. It lets the authorities follow a medicine through the supply chain, from the factory to the pharmacy shelf, and makes it easier to pull a product back if a complaint is made or a quality problem is found.
People with smartphones can scan the barcode to see product details and prices. The barcode idea was first proposed in 2015 and approved by the federal cabinet in 2017, but bureaucratic delays held up its introduction for years.
Federal Health Minister Mustafa Kamal took notice of the delay and announced the system would be launched as soon as possible. Earlier this year, DRAP set October 1 as the cut-off date for launching the barcode system to curb the sale of counterfeit and expired medicines and end black marketing.
How the check works
The system is built around a 2D DataMatrix barcode and a unique serial number on each pack. Under the Pharmaceutical Track and Trace System, medicines made in Pakistan or imported on or after October 9 must carry the code. The code holds the product’s identity, its batch number and its expiry date.
A buyer opens the app, scans the code on the pack, and sees whether the medicine is registered and genuine, along with its official price. The same scan tells DRAP where that pack sits in the supply chain, so a suspect batch can be traced back to its source.
The rule applies to human and veterinary medicines in its first phase. Batches made or imported before October 9 are exempt and may still be imported, distributed and sold. The framework was finalised through SRO 963(I)/2026 on June 9, 2026, giving the industry about four months to prepare factory lines, packaging and data systems for the switch.
DRAP has also linked the system to its eAPP portal. Companies had until August 25 to verify product and licence data, after which the portal was locked for corrections.
Why the Mehfooz Dawa app matters for patients
Fake and substandard medicines are a long-running problem in Pakistan. Patients often have no way to tell a genuine pack from a copy, and the price printed on a pack is not always the price a shop charges. A scan that confirms both authenticity and price gives the buyer a direct check at the counter.
The problem is not limited to one city or one drug. Fifteen medicines were found substandard or counterfeit in Karachi alone, and provinces have had to set up their own checks, including mobile drug-testing laboratories in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. DRAP’s job is not limited to barcodes either: its pricing decisions shape every pharmacy bill, and shortages add to the pressure on patients, as Islamabad’s flu vaccine shortage showed. The track-and-trace system is meant to give regulators a single national record instead of scattered local drives.
The change is a large one: Pakistan’s pharmaceutical sector posted a profit of Rs11.6 billion in its latest reported results, and hundreds of companies must now print codes on every pack. A report in early November said about 80 per cent of companies had started implementation, though not all had completed it.
The government has also moved from persuasion to enforcement: the health minister warned in early November that plants could be sealed over missing barcode data. DRAP says it has consulted the Pakistan Pharmaceutical Manufacturers’ Association, the Pharma Bureau and medicine importers on the requirements.
What buyers should do now
The advice is simple: scan the pack before paying. The app shows the product, its batch and its registered price, and a pack without a valid code cannot be verified as genuine. Keep the receipt and the pack if you suspect a problem, so the batch can be reported and traced.
The system will roll out in phases, with the first phase covering all locally made and imported products. The authority’s track-and-trace portal carries the official record behind the app. For patients, a phone scan now answers in seconds a question that used to take a laboratory test.
Frequently asked questions
What is the Mehfooz Dawa app?
It is DRAP’s application for checking medicines. A buyer scans the 2D barcode on a medicine pack with a phone, and the app shows whether the product is genuine and what its official price is.
How do I verify a medicine?
Open the app and scan the 2D barcode printed on the pack. The system checks the code against DRAP’s register and shows the product’s identity, batch number, expiry date and price. A pack without a valid code cannot be verified as genuine.
Which medicines carry the barcode?
Medicines made in Pakistan or imported on or after October 9, 2026 must carry a unique 2D DataMatrix barcode and serial number. The first phase covers human and veterinary medicines. Batches made or imported before October 9 are exempt.
What should I do if a medicine looks fake?
Do not take it. Keep the pack and the receipt, note where you bought it, and report it to DRAP so the batch can be traced. The track-and-trace system lets the authorities follow the pack back through the supply chain and recall it if needed.
Why did the system take so long to arrive?
The barcode idea was proposed in 2015 and approved by the federal cabinet in 2017, but bureaucratic delays held it up. The federal cabinet approved the nationwide track-and-trace system in June 2026, and mandatory compliance began on October 9, 2026.
