The Drugs Regulatory Authority of Pakistan (DRAP) has stopped unlicensed manufacturers from making hand sanitizers.
The decision has come in the wake of a laboratory report issued by the Science and Technology Minister, Fawad Chaudhary. The report revealed that almost 60 percent of the hand sanitizers in markets are substandard as per World Health Organization (WHO) standards.
The minister had sent the list to DRAP for further action and had requested the provincial governments to take action against the manufacturers.
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Taking action on the report, the drug control authority has notified that only companies with a valid drug manufacturing license (DML) or valid enlistment certificates (Form-6) will be allowed to make hand sanitizers.
With a nod from the health & OTC division, permission was granted only on a campaign basis for three months period.
The DRAP notification said that the decision was taken in the public interest, considering the health urgency and the need for quality hand sanitizers to save people from the coronavirus pandemic.
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As per WHO standards, a quality hand sanitizer should be alcohol (ethanol) dominant with 80% volume/volume in an aqueous (water) solution, denatured or Isopropyl Alcohol (75% v/v), Glycerol (1.455% v/v) and Hydrogen peroxide (0.125% v/v).
Please cite the WHO standard you’re specifying. The numbers are wildly inaccurate compared to the WHO’s own recommended formulation at https://www.who.int/gpsc/information_centre/handrub-formulations/en/