Drug Regulatory Authority of Pakistan Act, 2012 provides the legal mandate to inspect and enforce GXPs through out the supply chain of therapeutic Goods. Inspection of establishments is an essential regulatory function, to monitor the regulatory compliance to ensure that operations at these establishments are carried out in accordance with approved standards, conditions, guidelines and legislations. The scope of the Inspections applies to different Good Practices (GXPs) including Good Manufacturing Practices (GMPs), Good Distribution Practices(GDPs) and Good Clinical Practices (GCPs), etc.
DRAP Act 2012, under its Schedule-V provides the legal provisions for appointment, powers and procedures for working of Inspectors. These draft rules are intended to replace the existing Drugs (Federal Inspectors, Federal Drug Laboratory and Federal Government Analyst) Rules, 1976 and are aimed at converting Inspection activities to be based on a risk management approach, capable of revealing weaknesses and deficiencies in the production, quality control, storage or distribution of therapeutic goods, as well as to devise a uniform procedures for taking regulatory actions and handling of products with suspected quality defects or identified as substandard and falsified.
These draft Therapeutic Goods (Federal Inspectors, Laboratories and Federal Government Analysts) Rules, 2022 were uploaded on the official website of DRAP dated 24th November, 2022, seeking comments and suggestions from stakeholders on the draft rules. Stakeholders can submit their comments and suggestions within 14 days of uploading this draft using prescribed format, (further information on comments submission is available on this link). Comments and suggestions can be forwarded via email to aamar.latif∂dra.gov.pk , copying at ajmal.shoail∂dra.gov.pk , or can be posted at mailing address, Additional Director, Division of Legal Affairs, Drug Regulatory Authority of Pakistan, 1st floor, TF Complex, 7th Mauve Area, G-9/4, Islamabad.