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Homeopathic medicines in Pakistan: DRAP rules

Homeopathic and biochemic products are 'alternative medicines' under Pakistani law, and DRAP's Health and OTC Division enlists the companies and products before they can be sold.

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36 companies in our directory hold a DRAP enlistment that includes homeopathic sections. See them in the directory.

What counts

The DRAP Act 2012 names Homeopathic and Biochemic among the systems whose products count as alternative medicine, and counts alternative medicine as a therapeutic good[1]. Under the 2014 Enlistment Rules, a homeopathic medicine must be made only from substances that have a monograph in one of the recognised homeopathic pharmacopoeias the Rules list (for example the US, German, British, Indian and European ones), and injectable products are excluded[2]. Biochemic medicines are not defined separately in the Rules; they appear only as a category on the application forms for manufacturers and importers[2]. DRAP's product page lists homeopathic preparations among non-prescription alternative medicines and says these products are not a substitute for medicines prescribed by a doctor[5].

What the DRAP rules say

  • Under the DRAP Act 2012, homeopathic products are alternative medicines and therefore therapeutic goods; the Division of Health and OTC Products (non-drugs) handles assessment and registration of alternative medicines, including homeopathy[1]
  • A homeopathic medicine may only be made from substances with a monograph in a recognised homeopathic pharmacopoeia named in the Rules, and injectable homeopathic products are not covered[2]
  • A homeopathic manufacturer or contract giver applies on Form 1 and an importer on Form 2; products are enlisted on Form 3, 4 or 5 depending on the claim and whether they are imported[2]
  • DRAP issues provisional certificates (Form 6 for the firm, Form 7 for each product); enlistment is an interim arrangement, and DRAP publishes separate first-in-first-out lists of pending homeopathic product applications[2][7]
  • The Rules do not require a fixed phrase such as 'Homoeopathic medicine' on the label; they do treat a product not labelled in the prescribed manner as misbranded, and the Form 7 certificate bars label claims for prohibited diseases[2]
  • Making or selling adulterated, misbranded, spurious, counterfeit or substandard homeopathic products is banned and punishable under the DRAP Act, and advertising needs DRAP's prior approval[2]
  • The Therapeutic Goods (Advertisement) Rules 2025 require Advertisement Board approval for adverts of therapeutic goods and ban public adverts for treating Schedule-C diseases such as cancer, diabetes, heart disease and infections; this appears to cover homeopathic products because the Act counts them as therapeutic goods[3][1]

Who regulates it

DRAP's Division of Health and OTC Products regulates homeopathic products, makers and importers, while homeopathic practitioners and colleges are registered and recognised by the National Council for Homoeopathy under the Unani, Ayurvedic and Homoeopathic Practitioners Act 1965[1][5][9].

What companies should do

  • Get DRAP approval of the building layout for the homeopathic section, then apply for enlistment as manufacturer or contract giver on Form 1, or as importer on Form 2[4][2]
  • Check that every active substance has a monograph in one of the homeopathic pharmacopoeias the Rules accept, and do not make injectable homeopathic products under these Rules[2]
  • Once you hold Form 6, apply for each product on the right form (3, 4 or 5) and track your place in DRAP's homeopathic FIFO list[2][7]
  • Keep records for one year past expiry, recall within 15 days of a DRAP notice, and surrender certificates within 7 days if they are suspended or revoked[2]
  • Get Advertisement Board approval before advertising and keep claims within those approved at enlistment[3]
  • Follow DRAP's planned online licensing and registration system for homeopathic products, which news reports say will replace enlistment[8]

Pharmacies, buyers and the public

  • Buy homeopathic products from licensed outlets and check that the pack shows the maker's name and a batch number[2]
  • DRAP says these products are not a replacement for medicines your doctor prescribes, so do not stop insulin, blood pressure, epilepsy or other prescribed medicine to use a homeopathic product[5]
  • Tell your doctor and pharmacist about any homeopathic or biochemic products you take, so they have the full picture[5]
  • Be very careful with any product or advert that claims to cure diabetes, cancer, heart, kidney or other serious diseases; public adverts for treating these diseases are banned[3]
  • If you see a homeopathic practitioner, you can check their registration with the National Council for Homoeopathy, which offers a search by registration number[9]

Recent warnings

  • 14 February 2023: DRAP cancelled the Form 6 and Form 7 enlistment certificates of two alternative-medicine manufacturers, and all their product enlistments, for not meeting minimum manufacturing requirements; the notice does not say whether homeopathic products were among them[6]
Still unclear: We did not find a DRAP or reputable news warning specific to homeopathic products in Pakistan. The 2014 Rules do not print the list of 'prohibited diseases' and do not set fixed label wording or label language for homeopathic products. Biochemic medicines are named on the forms but not defined. The Advertisement Rules 2025 do not mention homeopathy by name. A news report (28 August 2026) says DRAP plans to replace enlistment with licensing and registration through a new portal; we could not confirm whether the new rules are in force.

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Related guides

Herbal, Unani and Ayurvedic medicinesS.R.O. 1688(I)/2026 explainedAll health and OTC product types

Sources

  1. Drug Regulatory Authority of Pakistan Act, 2012 (Act No. XXI of 2012), Gazette of Pakistan Extraordinary, 13 November 2012 (FAOLEX copy)
  2. Alternative Medicines and Health Products (Enlistment) Rules, 2014, S.R.O. 412(I)/2014, notified 27 May 2014 (DRAP copy)
  3. Therapeutic Goods (Advertisement) Rules, 2025, notified at Islamabad 27 January 2025 (DRAP copy)
  4. DRAP Division of Health & OTC Products, guidelines for manufacture of alternative medicines, food supplements, nutritional products and probiotics, F. No. 4-21/2017-DD (H&OTC), 2 September 2021
  5. DRAP, Product Categories page (last updated 27 September 2023)
  6. DRAP, Cancellation of Enlistment Certificates (Form-6 and Form-7) of two alternative products manufacturers for non-compliance to minimum regulatory requirements, 14 February 2023
  7. DRAP, Provisional FIFO lists of applications received for provisional enlistment of Herbal, Homeo, Nutraceutical products (1 January to 30 September 2024), 18 December 2024
  8. Minute Mirror, 'DRAP to launch online portal for herbal and homeopathic products', 28 August 2026
  9. National Council for Homoeopathy, Our Profile (accessed 16 October 2026)

Prepared by the MedInfoBase team of pharmacists, physicians and academics. Last checked 16 October 2026. This page explains public DRAP documents and official notices in plain English; it is not legal or medical advice. It does not say that any product works.

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