A three-member bench of the Supreme Court on Monday directed the Ministry of Health to take effective measures to check the flow of spurious medicines in the market.
The Apex court also asked the secretary health to convene a meeting of the health secretaries of provincial governments to chalk up a comprehensive programme to check this menace.
The bench comprising Chief Justice of Pakistan, Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry, Justice Mian Shakirullah Jan and Justice Syed Jamshed Ali made this observation on a complaint of Dr Shams-uz-Zaman Soomro.
The Chief Justice observed that Munir Bhatty, the learned counsel, remained associated with the Health Department, who at a time intended to make improvement for the purpose of controlling flow of spurious medicines has stated that difficulty arose in case of herbal, homeopathic and Unani medicines available in the market for which no law is applicable.
He further observed that it is not only menace of drugs but there are many things like registration and pricing of drugs, unethical marketing of medicines, irrational drugs and shortage of drugs.
The court also asked The Network for Consumer Protection Deputy Attorney General and Secretary Health to submit a report on these issues.
Deputy Attorney General of Pakistan, Nasir Saeed Shaikh appeared before the court. The Chief Justice adjourned the hearing till May 12.