Pharmacists have issued a warning over the Drug Authority Bill, 2022 that is currently in Parliament, which is designed to stabilise the regulatory framework in manufacturing and distribution of health-made products and technologies in the country.

Pharmaceuticals Society of Kenya (PSK) said the country risks failing to achieve its Universal Health Coverage (UHC) goals should the three amendments proposed in the Bill sail through.

President of PSK Louis Machogu said the amendments will weaken the regulatory framework, compromise patient safety and also obstruct Kenya’s journey to attainment of the highest standards for manufacturing medicine called  WHO maturity level 3 standards, which is the standards for manufacturing vaccines and advanced medicine.

“We believe some individuals have misled the parliamentary Health Committee into endorsing the controversial amendments into the Drug Authority Bill 2022,” said Machogu.

Opposes proposal

The society opposes proposal for removal of veterinary products from the regulation of the Kenya Drug Authority. The Bill  also proposes the granting of technical licenses to technical practitioners.

Last clause being opposed by the lobby is a proposal allowing technicians to handle all scheduled medicine.

According to the pharmacists, there is risk in allowing the removal of veterinary products from the regulation of the Kenya Drug Authority because it will pose risk to livestock who will get substandard medicine and jeopardize quality of meat.

“Quality of our export products and manufactured animal medicine will greatly be jeopardized if we deny the Kenya Drug Authority its role of regulating veterinary products,” explained Machogu.

Move by the pharmacists to oppose the amendments came at a time when President William Ruto and Health ministry officials attended the groundbreaking of a local manufacturer’s expo in Nairobi.

The pharmacists are opposed to granting of technical licenses to lower cadre practitioners advising it is a threat to Kenya’s WHO level three maturity standards and will lower Kenya’s leadership of manufacturing of the pharmaceutical products in the region.