DRAP Set to Streamline Payments for Pharma Industry with State Bank Integration
DRAP Set to Streamline Payments for Pharma Industry with State Bank Integration
Nadeem Tanoli
ISLAMABAD: In a major step to enhance the “ease of doing business,” the Drug Regulatory Authority of Pakistan (DRAP) is on the brink of launching a ground breaking initiative to integrate its fee collection system with the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP). The new system, based on 1Link, will allow pharmaceutical and medical device companies to directly make payments via banking apps, simplifying the process and reducing administrative burdens. Speaking at DRAP’s 34th E-Kachahri session on Facebook, senior officials revealed that the system is in the final stages of approval with SBP, and once operational, it will enable quicker and more efficient payment processing, similar to the convenience offered by the Pakistan Single Window (PSW) portal.”This integration will drastically reduce the time required for fee submissions, making the process more streamlined for businesses in the pharmaceutical and medical device sectors,” a senior DRAP official commented. The E-Kachahri also highlighted ongoing efforts to integrate medical device import and export functions with the PSW portal. Although certain categories, like donations and specific items, were added to the portal in February, full integration for registered medical devices is expected by August 2026.Moreover, in an effort to improve institutional transparency, DRAP CEO Dr. Obaidullah announced that summaries and Q&A transcripts of Khuli Kachahri sessions would be publicly available on the official DRAP website, ensuring continuous access for stakeholders to regulatory decisions and clarifications. The DRAP’s new initiatives are poised to significantly reduce red tape and increase transparency, offering substantial benefits to the pharmaceutical and medical device industries.
