New DRAP chief urges pharmacists to think big, save lives and lead healthcare reforms

ISLAMABAD: Pharmacists must break free from traditional roles and lead the way in clinical trials, pharmacovigilance, and antimicrobial stewardship to save lives and uplift healthcare outcomes in Pakistan, Chief Executive Officer of the Drug Regulatory Authority of Pakistan (DRAP) Dr Obaidullah Malik said on Saturday.

He urged pharmacists to upgrade their knowledge, embrace emerging fields like stem cell technology, and work closely with healthcare providers at both hospitals and community levels.

Speaking at the POST-IPCE 2025 gathering organised by the Pakistan Pharmacists’ Association (PPA) in Islamabad, Dr Obaidullah emphasised that pharmacists have a pivotal role to play in modern healthcare systems. The event recognised the organising committee of the 21st International Pharmacy Conference and Exhibition (IPCE) 2024 and honored PPA ambassadors.

Highlighting three major areas — pharmacovigilance, antimicrobial stewardship, and clinical trials — Dr Obaidullah lamented that pharmacists’ involvement in these critical sectors remained limited. “Pharmacovigilance ensures medication safety by detecting adverse drug reactions, antimicrobial stewardship combats antibiotic resistance, and clinical trials shape future treatments,” he explained.

He said pharmacists are crucial to strengthening healthcare systems, contributing to one of the six building blocks identified by the World Health Organization (WHO) which is access to essential medicines and technologies.

Praising the 21st IPCE as one of the finest pharmacy events held in the country, Dr Obaidullah stressed that such conferences were vital platforms for knowledge-sharing and professional growth.

He also acknowledged the contributions of former DRAP leaders, crediting Asim Rauf for steering DRAP towards transparency and efficiency, and Dr Muhammad Aslam for enhancing its international profile. “They stood firm during challenging times and transformed DRAP into a more credible organisation,” he said.

Calling for the upgradation of the pharmacy profession, he said pharmacists must move beyond traditional domains and expand into emerging areas like gene therapy, personalised medicine, regulatory sciences, and nanotechnology. “Pharmacists must think bigger, collaborate across disciplines, and work together to strengthen Pakistan’s healthcare sector,” he stressed.

Expressing concern over the lack of pharmacists within the Armed Forces’ healthcare system, he underlined the need for their greater involvement to ensure patient safety and clinical advancement.

Dr Obaidullah also warned against unethical practices, particularly the renting out of pharmacy degrees, calling it a dangerous trend that damages the profession’s credibility. “Pharmacists must uphold ethics and actively serve the healthcare system rather than seeking shortcuts,” he urged.

PPA President Sardar Shabbir Ahmed welcomed Dr Obaidullah and acknowledged the outgoing CEO Asim Rauf’s contributions. He celebrated the 21st IPCE as the most successful conference in PPA’s history and called for greater participation from pharmacists across the country.

“Out of 70,000 pharmacists nationwide, only 4,000 are active members. We need more pharmacists to participate, contest elections, and shape the association’s future,” he stressed.

Business leader Zafar Bakhtawari praised Dr Obaidullah’s appointment and urged pharmacists to focus on research to enhance Pakistan’s pharmaceutical exports. He also commended Asim Rauf for professionally leading DRAP.

Senior PPA leaders including Rashid Majeed, Alamgir Rao, and Shifa Khan Bangash highlighted the need for professional growth, ethical standards, and research-driven contributions.

The event was attended by hundreds of pharmacists from Islamabad and across the country, reaffirming their commitment to advancing the pharmacy profession and strengthening Pakistan’s healthcare system.