Dear Consumers of Homeopathy
Dear Colleagues in Trade and Profession

THE Health and OTC Products Division of the Drug Regulatory Authority of Pakistan will complete its seventh year of existence in June, 2021. And I have heard disturbing stories about how the applications for registration of Homoeopathic Medicinal Products (HMPs) are being dealt with! This has understandably raised the question whether the HOTCP Division is serving the purpose for which it was set up in 2014 or it is just an unnecessary burden on the national exchequer.

I will be discussing this in a sequel to my earlier write-up: Health and OTC Products Division – an unnecessary burden on the national exchequer? To be fair to the HOTCD,  and to make the write-up truly reflective of the factual position,  I would like to have information on the following questions:

1. Does the DRAP have the capacity and expertise to evaluate HMPs in accordance with the requirements of homeopathic drug manufacturing protocols?
2. Do the HOTC officials responsible for evaluating homoeopathic products have requisite knowledge of homeopathic medicine manufacturing protocols and procedures?
3. What steps has the HOTC Division taken since its inception to modify and adapt its evaluation procedure of HMPs to the particular requirements and special characteristics of homoeopathic manufacturing process in accordance with the WHO recommendations?
4. Do the HOTC officials follow the stated policy of the DRAP in respect of the alternative medicinal products? (According to the DRAP policy, the alternative medicines included in the pharmacopoeias adopted vide alternative medicines and health product enlistment rules 2014, are exempt from detailed scrutiny and will be registered on the provision of a registration certificate with the health authority concerned of the country of origin.)
5. Are the meetings of the Enlistment Evaluation Committee held regularly and their minutes published timely?
6. What steps have been taken or are to be taken to make the HOTC transactions more transparent?

If you, as the consumer, trader or professional of homoeopathy, have something to share with regard to the above questions or have some relevant information that can shed light on the working of the Health and OTC Division, please feel free to write to ahmadfakir@gmail.com . If you do not want to be identified, you can write anonymously, holding back all information that can disclose your identity in any way.

I have also sought this information from the Director of the HOTC Division through an online letter available here: Information solicited under Article 19A of the Constitution of Pakistan. I shall have no objection if any association or organization of homeopaths reproduces the said letter on its letterhead and sends to the official concerned on its behalf.

If possible, please share the letter in your Group so as to reach a wider audience or tweet it tagging @DRA_Pakistan, @PakPMO, @RoLPakistan and @ahmadfakir

Let us work together to help homeopathy earn the place in our national health planning it deserves.

Yours in homoeopathy
Ahmad Fakir Muhammad, Homoeopath
25/G, National Medicine Market/National Chambers
Aram Bagh Road
Karachi-74200
Pakistan
https://homoeopathy.com.pk
ahmadfakir@gmail.com
@ahmadfakir

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