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Fri 6 Nov 2026 EN
· · Single source ·Updated

Pakistan mandates 2D barcodes on medicines starting October 10

Federal Health Minister Mustafa Kamal announced in Islamabad that all medicines manufactured or imported after October 9 must carry a unique 2D barcode.

Professional workspace featuring a laptop, stethoscope, pen, and paper sheet for healthcare tasks.
File photo Professional workspace featuring a laptop, stethoscope, pen, and paper sheet for healthcare tasks. Photo: Tara Winstead

Implementation timeline and rules

Local and multinational pharmaceutical companies must include the barcode and serial number on packages made from October 10. Imported medicines will also be prohibited from sale without the required code. The Drug Regulatory Authority of Pakistan completed training for representatives to help with this rollout.

Consumer verification tools

A new mobile application will allow buyers to check if a medicine is genuine. This app also displays current pricing and expiry dates for products. The system assigns unique identification codes to individual packages to improve traceability.

Reported by one outlet

Only one outlet has published this. Nothing here has been checked against a second report, so read it as that outlet's account and follow the link below for the original.

Reported by

1 independent outlet. Headline as published. Links open the original report.

· · Single source ·Updated

Pakistan mandates 2D barcodes on medicines starting October 10

Federal Health Minister Mustafa Kamal announced that all medicines manufactured in Pakistan must carry a 2D barcode by October 9, with sales of unmarked products banned from October 10.

Professional workspace featuring a laptop, stethoscope, pen, and paper sheet for healthcare tasks.
File photo Professional workspace featuring a laptop, stethoscope, pen, and paper sheet for healthcare tasks. Photo: Tara Winstead

Implementation timeline and rules

The Ministry of Health has worked for eighteen months to introduce this serialization system. All medicines produced after October 9 must display the unique identification code on their packaging. Imported drugs will also be prohibited from sale if they lack the required barcode and serial number.

Consumer verification tools

A new mobile application will allow buyers to check if a medicine is genuine. This app provides details regarding the product price and its expiry date. Pharmaceutical companies have completed necessary training for their representatives to facilitate the rollout.

Reported by one outlet

Only one outlet has published this. Nothing here has been checked against a second report, so read it as that outlet's account and follow the link below for the original.

Reported by

1 independent outlet. Headline as published. Links open the original report.