Quality you can trust: how the industry is fighting falsified medicines, and Pharma Asia’s part
WHO estimates at least 1 in 10 medicines in low- and middle-income countries is substandard or falsified. Barcodes, GMP and dialogue are the response.
In this article
For a patient, the most important fact about a medicine is that it is genuine and made properly. That is where industry welfare and public welfare meet.
The size of the problem
The World Health Organization estimates that at least 1 in 10 medical products in low- and middle-income countries is substandard or falsified, and that countries spend an estimated US$30.5 billion a year on them. Such products can cause treatment failure and serious harm. WHO points to strong regulation and to track-and-trace systems, alongside international cooperation, as ways to detect and prevent them.
Pakistan’s response
In October 2026, DRAP made 2D Data Matrix barcodes and serial numbers mandatory on registered medicines made or imported from 9 October 2026, as the first phase of its Pharmaceutical Track and Trace System. The stated aim is to stop spurious, falsified and unregistered medicines and to make recalls easier. Details are in our explainer.
Where Pharma Asia comes in
- Dialogue before deadlines: the 2025 International Pharma Convention held a panel on implementing 2D barcoding and track and trace, with speakers from DRAP, GS1 Pakistan and manufacturers, and a full session on the pathway to PIC/S compliance.
- Solutions on the floor: GS1 Pakistan, the barcode standards body, is on the 2026 exhibitor list in Hall 6, alongside label printers, packaging makers and machinery suppliers who can help plants comply.
- Quality systems: laboratory, QC and cleanroom suppliers — concentrated in Halls 4, 5 and 6 — help plants meet the GMP standards that keep substandard products off the market.
Substandard, falsified — what is the difference?
WHO uses precise terms. Substandard medical products are authorised products that fail to meet their quality standards or specifications — for example because of poor manufacturing or storage. Falsified products deliberately or fraudulently misrepresent their identity, composition or source. Unregistered or unlicensed products have not been assessed or approved by the regulator of the market where they are sold. Each needs a different response: better manufacturing and storage for the first, enforcement and traceability for the second, and market control for the third.
How falsified medicines reach patients
They tend to appear where supply is short, prices are high or distribution is fragmented: when a genuine medicine is scarce, counterfeiters fill the gap. Informal sellers, unregulated online shops and weak links in wholesale distribution all create openings. That is one reason why DRAP linked medicine shortages with hoarding and counterfeits in the debate over price deregulation — reliable supply of genuine products is itself a defence.
A shared responsibility
| Who | What they can do |
|---|---|
| Manufacturers | GMP, secure packaging, serialisation, reporting suspected falsification |
| Distributors and pharmacies | Buy only from licensed sources, check codes, store correctly |
| Regulator | Inspections, testing, track and trace, alerts and recalls |
| Patients | Buy from licensed pharmacies, check packs, report concerns |
What patients can do
- Buy medicines from licensed pharmacies and keep the receipt.
- Check the pack: spelling mistakes, poor printing, damaged seals or a missing expiry date are warning signs.
- As 2D codes spread, use verification tools when they become available.
- Tell your doctor or pharmacist if a familiar medicine looks, tastes or works differently, and report suspected products to DRAP, which publishes drug alerts and recall notices.
The role of testing
Laboratories are the last line of defence. Regulators test samples taken from the market, manufacturers test every batch before release, and screening technologies — from simple colour tests to handheld spectrometers — let inspectors check suspicious products in the field. Investment in testing capacity, including the upgrade of the Central Drugs Laboratory, is as much a part of protecting patients as barcodes on packs.
Why it matters
A stronger, well-equipped industry is the best protection patients have. Helping manufacturers find the tools to meet higher standards is part of what an industry exhibition can do for public health.
Meet these suppliers at Pharma Asia 2026.
