Fake medicines: DRAP's 2D barcode rule is now in force — what changes on your medicine pack, and what doesn't yet

Key takeaways

• From 9 October 2026, medicines covered by the new rules that are made in Pakistan or imported must carry a 2D barcode and a unique serial number on the pack.
• The Drug Regulatory Authority of Pakistan (DRAP) says the Pharmaceutical Track and Trace System will let authorities follow medicines from factory to pharmacy and help fight fake and substandard drugs.
• Older stock is still legal. Batches made before 9 October do not need the code, so for weeks or months you will see packs with and without it.
• No public scanning tool yet. Reports say patients will be able to scan packs to check them, but DRAP has not announced how.
• On Sunday, Health Minister Syed Mustafa Kamal reviewed progress on the system and asked for a timely and effective launch, according to APP.

What the new rule says

The requirement comes from S.R.O. 963(I)/2026, which amends Pakistan's drug labelling and packing rules, after the federal cabinet approved a national track-and-trace system on 2 June 2026, Medical News Pakistan reports.

Under it, each covered pack must carry a GS1 DataMatrix, a small square code made of dots, different from the striped barcode you see in shops. According to Medical News Pakistan, the code holds:

The serial number is the key change: it means every box of the same medicine gets its own identity, so a copied box can in principle be spotted.

Bol News reports that the rule applies to both locally made and imported medicines covered by the regulations, and that stocks produced earlier are governed by conditions set by DRAP. Pakera, a Pakistani outlet that says it read DRAP's circular of 8 October, reports that batches made before 9 October remain allowed for sale.

What it covers, and what it doesn't

According to Medical News Pakistan, the rule applies to allopathic medicines, including biological products for human and veterinary use. Alternative medicines, nutraceuticals, medical devices, medical gases and radiopharmaceuticals are outside its stated scope. Importers whose products arrive without a compliant code can have it printed at a licensed local facility, with approval, before sale.

Bigger shipping cartons have a much longer transition: a separate shipping-container code becomes mandatory only after six years.

What the government says

Bol News reports that Health Minister Mustafa Kamal said at the Pakistan Pharmaceutical Manufacturers Association headquarters that all medicines would carry barcodes within 60 days and that the system would help remove fake products from the market. In a review meeting on Sunday, reported by APP, he discussed the challenges of putting the system in place and said transparency in the supply chain must be ensured to stop counterfeit medicines.

DRAP and the National Information Technology Board signed an agreement in June to build and host the national track-and-trace platform, Medical News Pakistan says.

What is not confirmed yet

The Nation reported in June, citing sources, that patients would be able to scan the code to see a medicine's expiry date, usage instructions and official price. DRAP has not yet announced a public app or website for this. Until it does, a pack without the new code is not, by itself, a sign that a medicine is fake.

What you can do now

• Buy medicines only from a licensed pharmacy and keep the receipt.
• Check the pack for the DRAP registration number, batch number and expiry date.
• Be careful if a price is far below normal or the packaging looks different from what you usually buy.
• If you suspect a fake, report it to DRAP with the batch number and the shop's name.

What to watch

• When DRAP launches a public verification tool.
• How quickly new barcoded batches reach pharmacy shelves.
• Whether DRAP links drug recalls to the new system, as it has said it will.

This article is for general information and is not medical advice. Speak to a doctor or pharmacist about your own medicines.