DRAP's Mehfooz Dawa App Lets Consumers Verify Medicines and Prices via Barcode

The Drug Regulatory Authority of Pakistan (DRAP) is encouraging consumers to use its Mehfooz Dawa smartphone app to confirm that a medicine is genuine and to check its registered price before making a purchase, according to a Ministry of National Health Services spokesperson.

The app works through a 2D barcode printed on medicine packaging. Shoppers scan the code with their phone, and the system displays details about the registered product along with the price approved by the regulator, giving buyers a simple way to compare what is on the shelf against official records.

Sajid Shah, a spokesperson for the Ministry of National Health Services, said roughly 800 pharmaceutical companies and more than 90,000 medicines are currently registered with DRAP. The initiative is intended to help curb counterfeit medicines, overpricing and other illegal practices in the pharmaceutical market.

The consumer-facing app is linked to a centralised Track and Trace System for medicines distributed across Pakistan, which became operational on October 9, 2026. Beyond assisting shoppers, the platform allows regulators to follow products as they move through the supply chain, which officials say could make it easier to identify and recall specific batches if complaints, safety concerns or quality issues arise.

The idea of a medicine barcode system in Pakistan was first proposed in 2015, and the federal cabinet approved the plan in 2017. Administrative delays held up full implementation for several years before the system finally went live. Use of the verification service requires a smartphone with the Mehfooz Dawa app installed.

For consumers, the tool offers a practical check on both authenticity and pricing at the point of sale, while regulators gain a nationwide view of how registered medicines travel from manufacturers to pharmacies.