Introduction:

The Drugs Control & Research Division, National Institute of Health was originally set up as Drug Research Institute in 1968 and was housed temporarily in the first floor of the block originally to serve the Public Health Division. This was made as an interim arrangement since Drugs Control and Research Division did not have any building of its own.

Since 1969 this Division is engaged in the testing of Drugs and Medicines as well as research on indigenous system of medicines.

This Division has been given the task to perform the appellate function in 1977 under the Drugs Act of 1976. In 1979 the President of Pakistan declared this Division as the "Center of Excellence" in view of its great contribution in the drug Quality Control set-up in the country.

Lately Pakistan Narcotic Control Board’s Narcotic Testing Laboratory has also been added to this Division in 1980 considering the serious problem, the Narcotics are posing to the Health Authorities in Pakistan. This Division has also started monitoring noxious substances in the locally available cigarettes and tobacco products, which is another area of priority in terms of health hazards to which our population is exposed too.

The Division is playing an important role in the Drugs delivery system in the country and in view of the W.H.O. emphasis and growing use of Traditional Medicines; the Division was renamed as Drug Control & Traditional Medicines Division. The Division is well equipped with the latest instruments provided with the grant-in-aid by Govt. of Japan. These instruments are placed in the newly constructed building of Drugs Control and Traditional Medicines Division, which was inaugurated in July, 1991.

The Drugs Control and Traditional Medicines Division is the finest laboratory in the country in respect of sophisticated instrument and technology and is one of the best among Asian Countries.

Functions:

      The main functions carried out by the Division are:

i.     Quality Control of Drugs for “Appellate Testing” under Section 22, Sub-Section 5 of the Drug Act,

       1976.

ii.     Routine Testing of drugs for Quality Control on Random basis.

iii.    Testing of drugs referred by Registration and Licensing Board, Ministry of Health.

iv.    Screening of Steroids in Homeopathic and Unani Medicines.

v.     Monitoring of Nicotine and Tar contents in Cigarettes (Tobacco    Products).

vi.    Qualitative and Quantitative Analysis of Psychoactive and Narcotic Drugs like Phenobarbitone,

         Methaqualone, Heroin, Opium  and Cannabinoids.

vii.      Research in Quality Control Methodology, development of detailed specifications for Pharmaceutical

         Products and basic tests for routine laboratory work.

viii.    Training in Pharmaceutical Analysis.

ix.    Provides facilities in respect of laboratory support and technical guidance to M.Sc., M.Phil and Ph.D

        students and research scientists of various institutions.

Future Plans:

        ·                    Establishment of Bio-availability/Bio-equivalence center.

        ·                    Establishment of Toxicological Laboratory.

        ·                    Strengthening of Tissue Culture Laboratory.

        ·                    Establishment of Herbal garden.

WHO’s Project:

In October 2000 WHO’s project on Traditional Medicines has been started with the following main objectives, major achievements and future plans:

Objectives:

a)    To develop a National Policy for Traditional Medicines according to the National Health Policy and

       National Drug Policy.

b)     To establish appropriate standards for traditional medicines.

c)      To work on National Unani Pharmacopoeias.

d)      To encourage and strengthen research into evidence-based practice of traditional medicines.

e)      To foster respect for the cultural integrity of traditional medicines.

 f)      To train manufacturers for Good Manufacturing Practices and Quality Assurance guideline.

Achievements:

The project is in progress with the following major achievements:

(a)   The recommendations for the National Traditional Medicines Policy and Regulation has been prepared by

       the panel of three consultants and consensus amongst the stakeholders of Traditional Medicines Sector of

       all the provinces has been developed and submitted to Ministry of Health for its formal approval.

(b)  The Draft Bill to regulate the manufacture, storage, import and export of Traditional Medicines has been

       prepared in consultation with the stakeholders of the Traditional Medicines Sector, and has been formally

       approved by the Federal Cabinet. 

(c)   The existing Act of the Unani, Ayurvedic and Homoeopathic system of medicines is amended to recognize

       the degrees Course.

(d)  Around 100 manufacturers of Unani and Homoeopathic medicines were given training for the Good

       Manufacturing Practices and Quality Assurance guidelines to be employed in their respective

       manufacturing units. The services of Hakims and Homoeopaths were also utilized in the National

       Immunization days by giving them proper training about the handling of vaccines.

(e)   The Monographs of Single Unani  Medicinal plants  and list of Essential Traditional Medicines has been

       published.

(f)    The work on the development of standards and specifications of single medicinal plants is in progress.

 Special Assignments:

Organized an International workshop entitled “Health Challenges of 21^st Century and Traditional Medicines in SAARC Region” and “Herbal Products Exhibition” from 4-6 November, 2002 at Best Western Hotel, Islamabad. More than 150 persons from Pakistan, India, Bangladesh, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Maldives and Bhutan participated in the workshop. Around 20 herbal medicines manufacturing companies participated in the Herbal Products Exhibition.