Like many countries in the world, the medical practitioners can now only prescribe the generic formula of medicines to the patients. The new guidelines issued by the Drug Regulatory
Authority of Pakistan (Drap) have prohibited medical practitioners prescribing brand names of medicines to the patients. Now, they can only write the generic formula of the drugs.
According to the Drap, the medical practitioners will not prescribe the name of the medicines, but only write generic name of the drug.
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The new guidelines said that the medical store owners will not be allowed to sell drugs without a prescription. The Drap further said that without a prescription by a registered doctor the medicines should not be sold.
It also instructed that every medical store is required to have a graduate pharmacist. Every pharmacy and medical store should issue a computerised payment receipt to customers. The receipt should carry the name of the doctor who prescribed the medicine.
Pharmaceutical companies have been prohibited that they will no longer be able to give gifts to doctors for prescribing their medicines. Healthcare professionals will face strict action for accepting gifts.
The pharmaceutical companies will not be able to offer foreign trips to doctors.
According to the code of conduct, no expenses will be paid to the family of healthcare professionals or their guests. The samples of medicines provided to the medical practitioners must carry additional labeling.