DRA and HCDRA likely to be established shortly

Drug Regulatory Authority (DRA) and Health Care and Drug Regulatory Authority (HCDRA) are likely to be established in the country soon. A meeting of Council for Common Interest (CCI) headed by Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani is scheduled to be held on February 9 and a draft of DRA is likely to come up for discussion and approval.
According to the details, Senator Abdul Haseeb Khan has initiated agitating the issue of establishing the DRA in Senate some time ago. After long deliberations in Senate on the issue Chairman Senate constituted a special committee headed by Senator Abdul Haseeb Khan to prepare draft of the ordinance of the regulatory authorities.
On February 1, Senator Abdul Haseeb Khan submitted the draft prepared after consultation of all the stakeholders to Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani for his consideration and approval. The committee has also prepared a draft to Health Care and Drug Regulatory Authority (HCDRA) to control all sectors related to heath.
The HCDRA will be made responsible to look after all the sectors of heath including Basic Health Care Units (BHU) and hospitals regulations beside looking after issues related to drugs, chemists, doctors, fake doctors, cigarette smoking, women and child care, control of spreading of HIV and hepatitis, etc.
Punjab has some reservations on DRA. After 18th Amendment all the hospitals under control of Federal government have to be handed over to provinces which have not been done in case of Punjab. In Punjab a hospital namely Shaik Zaid hospital is still in the control of Federal Government.
It is worth mentioning that establishment DRA has been on hold since 2002. Pakistan is lacking a central regulating authority in Pakistan since the devolution of the Ministry of Health post-18th Amendment which is a major concern of the industry and the Pharma Bureau in unison with the PPMA has been highlighting this to the government since 2010 and this matter is now taking on greater urgency especially in light of current tragic events. The committee has also prepared a draft to Health Care and Drug Regulatory Authority (HCDRA) to control all the restorations related to heath.
The Health Care and Drug Regulatory Authority (HCDRA) will be made responsible to look after all the sectors of heath including Basic Health Care Units (BHU) and hospitals regulations beside looking after issues related to drugs, chemists, doctors, fake doctors, cigarette smoking, women and child care, control of spreading of HIV and hepatitis, etc.
The authority will also prepare law for controlling adulteration in food and edible items. Final decision of establishing Drug Regulatory Authority (DRA) and HCDRA will be made as the Prime Minister has already called a meeting of CCI on February 9,2012 to consider the proposed draft of establishing DAR and HCDRA and reach consensus on the issue.
All the provinces are said to be taking interest in establishing DAR and HCDRA including Punjab. However, Punjab has some reservations and after 18th Amendment all the hospitals under control of Federal government have to be handed over to provinces which have not been done so for in Punjab and the Hospital namely Shaikh Zaid Hospital is still in the control of Federal Government.