ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s drug regulator has advised pharmaceutical manufacturers and importers to secure multiple sources of raw materials and maintain sufficient inventories to prevent potential medicine shortages amid global supply chain disruptions linked to the evolving geopolitical situation, while pharmaceutical industry leaders say the country currently faces no immediate risk of medicine shortage as most companies have adequate stocks of raw materials and finished products for the next six to eight months.
In an advisory issued on Monday, the Drug Regulatory Authority of Pakistan (Drap) directed manufacturers and importers of therapeutic goods to adopt multiple sourcing strategies for active pharmaceutical ingredients, drug substances, excipients and other essential materials, warning that the current geopolitical situation could pose risks to global supply chains and affect access to medicines and medical technologies.
The advisory, issued from Drap headquarters in Islamabad, said the authority was proactively monitoring the availability of essential therapeutic goods to ensure uninterrupted access to safe and effective medicines across the country. It noted that the pharmaceutical and medical device industries must take proactive and robust measures to safeguard against potential shortages that could arise due to disruptions in international shipping or other unforeseen circumstances. To ensure stability in the supply of medicines, Drap directed manufacturers to reduce reliance on single source suppliers of raw materials and establish multiple geographically diverse sourcing channels. The regulator also instructed companies to maintain appropriate buffer stocks of both raw materials and finished pharmaceutical products to mitigate any impact of delays in shipping or supply interruptions.
The authority further advised industry stakeholders to regularly assess the reliability and risk exposure of their existing suppliers and develop comprehensive contingency sourcing plans.
According to the advisory, companies should also strengthen their tracking mechanisms to monitor the movement of pharmaceutical products and accurately predict future demand in order to prevent hoarding, black marketing or artificial shortages.
Drap has also asked manufacturers and importers to comply with all directions issued by federal and provincial governments from time to time to ensure the preferential supply of medicines to government institutions and allied departments in case of emergencies.
However, former chairman of the Pakistan Pharmaceutical Manufacturers Association (PPMA) Tauqeer ul Haq praised Drap for its timely advisory but added that it should not be interpreted as a sign of an impending shortage of medicines in the country.
He maintained that Pakistan’s pharmaceutical industry currently holds sufficient stocks of both raw materials and finished pharmaceutical products to meet the country’s requirements for the next four to five months.
“Nearly 90 per cent of medicines consumed in Pakistan are manufactured locally, and the raw materials used in pharmaceutical production are largely sourced from China and India. Therefore, there is no immediate threat of medicine shortages even if regional tensions escalate,” Tauqeer ul Haq said.
He added that only a limited number of specialised medicines imported directly from abroad could face temporary supply chain challenges if international flights or cargo routes were disrupted due to the conflict. “These may include certain medicines used in cancer treatment and some biological products that are not manufactured locally.” Haq said widespread shortages would only become a concern if the conflict led to a prolonged disruption in fuel supplies or domestic transportation networks that could affect the distribution of medicines across the country, a situation he described as unlikely at present. Dr Akram Sultan, Health Adviser at the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation’s COMSTECH and a consultant cardiologist at Tabba Heart Institute Karachi, said the advisory was a timely step and urged both the regulator and the pharmaceutical industry to remain vigilant to ensure uninterrupted access to medicines and medical devices for patients.
He advised regulatory authorities and industry stakeholders to strengthen coordination and contingency planning so that potential supply disruptions were managed proactively and people continue to receive therapeutic goods and essential healthcare services without interruption across the country.
