Federal health authorities are moving ahead with plans to establish the Pakistan Food and Drug Authority (FDA), a central regulatory body aimed at standardizing food, pesticides and cosmetics.
According to a news report, the initiative will replace the Drug Regulatory Authority of Pakistan (DRAP) and aims to align Pakistan with global health and safety standards.
The Ministry of Health, in collaboration with DRAP, the Ministry of Food, provincial governments, and other stakeholders, is finalizing the recommendations submitted to the Commission. A formal concept note outlining the framework will be submitted to the Prime Minister in the coming weeks for approval.
The second review meeting on establishment of Pakistan Food and Drug Administration was held at DRAP, chaired by Prime Minister’s Coordinator for Health, Dr Mukhtar Bharat, and attended by DRAP CEO Asim Rauf and other senior stakeholders. During the discussion, Dr. Bharath emphasized the need for a central authority to address the challenges posed by the current fragmented regulatory framework.
At present, food regulation is managed by provincial governments with different standards, while pesticides fall under the supervision of the Ministry of Food. This division has led to regulatory gaps, including the use of harmful chemicals in pesticides that enter the food chain, causing long-term health risks.
The proposed Pakistan Food and Drug Administration aims to strengthen oversight of food, pesticides and cosmetics to ensure compliance with global quality and safety standards.
Dr. Bharat explained that this unified approach would protect public health and improve Pakistan’s export potential by meeting stringent international requirements.
“Many countries require central certification from a credible import authority,” Dr. Bharat noted, adding that the central FDA will work to improve the quality of local products while opening up export opportunities for food and related goods.
One of the main goals of the Pakistan Food and Drug Administration is to ensure that pesticides are treated as chemicals with potential health risks and not just as agricultural inputs. This approach will address significant gaps in the current system and ensure that consumables and cosmetics adhere to international safety standards.