What is Mehfooz Dawa?
Mehfooz Dawa means "safe medicine". It is the public name of the drug track and trace programme run by the Drug Regulatory Authority of Pakistan (DRAP), with the technical platform built by the National Information Technology Board. Its job is simple to describe: give every medicine pack its own identity, so that anyone, from a distributor to a patient at the counter, can check that pack against the manufacturer's record.
That identity lives in a small square code printed on the box. It looks like a QR code but is usually a GS1 DataMatrix, the same standard used for medicines in Europe, Turkey, Saudi Arabia and many other countries. Inside it are four pieces of information:
| Field | Printed as | What it tells you |
|---|---|---|
| GTIN | GTIN or PC | The product: which medicine, which strength, which pack size, from which company. Same on every identical box. |
| Serial number | SN | The individual box. No two genuine packs should share it. This is what catches copies. |
| Batch number | BN, B or Lot | The production run. Recalls are announced by batch. |
| Expiry date | EXP | The last date the medicine should be used. |
A counterfeiter can copy the look of a box. What they cannot easily do is produce serial numbers that match the record a real manufacturer has uploaded, and copied serials show up when the same number is scanned in many places. That is where the protection comes from.
How to check a medicine with Mehfooz Dawa
The whole check takes under a minute. You can use the scanner at the top of this page or DRAP's own portal; both ask the same system.
- Find the square codeTurn the box over and look on the sides and flaps. It is usually near the batch and expiry print.
- Scan or photograph itTap Start camera and hold the code inside the frame, about a hand's width away. If your camera struggles, take a sharp photo and use Upload photo.
- Compare the result with the boxA good result shows the medicine's name and maker. Make sure they match what is printed on the pack, and that the batch and expiry are the same.
- Act on any warningIf the result is anything other than verified, do not take the medicine yet. The table below explains what to do for each result.
Tip for a fast scan: light matters more than the phone. Stand near a window or under a bright light, tilt the box slightly to remove glare from the plastic coating, and wait a second for the camera to focus.
Where the code is on the box
On most cartons the square code sits on one of the narrow sides or the end flap, in a white or plain area, with four lines of small text beside it. Strips and blister sheets inside the box usually do not carry it; the code belongs to the outer carton. Bottles of syrup normally have it on the outer box rather than on the bottle label.
The long striped barcode on the back is a different thing. It identifies the product for billing and is identical on every box, so scanning it will not verify anything.
What each result means
| Result | What it means | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Verified | This pack's details match a record uploaded by the manufacturer. | Still check the seal, print quality and expiry. Use as prescribed. |
| Not verified | The system could not match this pack. | Re-scan once. Check you typed details correctly. If it still fails, ask for another pack and report it. |
| Recalled | The batch has been withdrawn, usually after a quality test failed. | Do not use. Return it to the pharmacy. Talk to your doctor if you have already taken it. |
| Flagged / blacklisted | The pack or serial is marked unsafe in the system. | Do not use. Keep the box and receipt, and report it to DRAP. |
| Expired | The expiry date has passed. | Do not use. Return it for safe disposal. |
For a deeper walk-through of a failed scan, read how to tell if a medicine is original or duplicate.
When there is no code on the box
Track and trace is being introduced in stages, and medicines already in the supply chain stay on sale until they run out. So for now you will still find genuine packs without a square code, especially for older stock and smaller manufacturers.
For those packs, the old checks still matter: a printed DRAP registration number (Reg. No.), a batch number and manufacturing date, an expiry date, a maximum retail price, an intact seal, and clean, sharp printing with no spelling mistakes. Our guide on checking original medicine covers these in detail.
Is there a Mehfooz Dawa app?
DRAP's check runs on its web portal, drugtrace.dra.gov.pk, which opens in any phone browser. Search results and app stores already show apps using the Mehfooz Dawa name, and you should look closely at who published any of them before installing. Never install an APK file sent over WhatsApp that claims to be a medicine checker.
You do not need an app to check a pack. The scanner on this page runs in your browser, and you can add it to your home screen from your browser menu so it opens like an app.
Why Pakistan needs track and trace
The World Health Organization estimates that roughly 1 in 10 medical products in low- and middle-income countries is substandard or falsified. They range from tablets with too little active ingredient to complete fakes with none at all, and they hit the most commonly used medicines hardest: antibiotics, painkillers, and treatments for malaria and diabetes.
Pakistan has had repeated cases of spurious and contaminated medicines reaching patients, and DRAP regularly issues recall alerts for failed batches. Visual checks alone are no longer enough, because good counterfeit packaging can be hard to tell apart from the real thing. A serial number tied to the manufacturer's record gives patients a check that does not depend on how good a copy looks.
Questions people ask
What is Mehfooz Dawa?
Mehfooz Dawa ("safe medicine") is the name DRAP uses for its drug track and trace programme. Each medicine pack carries a small square code with a product number, batch, serial number and expiry date. When you scan it, the code is checked against the record the manufacturer uploaded, which tells you whether that exact pack is known to the system.
Is there a Mehfooz Dawa app to download?
DRAP runs the check through its web portal at drugtrace.dra.gov.pk, which works in a phone browser. Before installing any app called "Mehfooz Dawa", look at who published it. Apps that copy the name are not necessarily from DRAP. You can also use the scanner on this page, which works in your browser without installing anything.
Does "Not verified" mean my medicine is fake?
Not on its own. It means the system could not match that pack. Reasons include a blurred scan, a typing mistake, older stock made before the maker joined the system, or a manufacturer that has not uploaded that batch yet. It is a warning to stop and check, not proof. Re-scan once. If it still fails, ask the pharmacy for another pack and report it.
My medicine box has no square code. What now?
The programme is being rolled out in phases, so some packs on shelves were made before their manufacturer started printing codes. A missing code is not proof of a fake. Check the registration number, batch number, expiry date, the seal and the print quality, and buy from a licensed pharmacy that gives a receipt.
Is the normal barcode the same as the Mehfooz Dawa code?
No. The long striped barcode identifies the product for billing at the counter and is the same on every box of that product. The small square code (a GS1 DataMatrix) also carries a serial number that belongs to one pack only. That serial is what makes it possible to tell whether a particular box is genuine.
Can the same code be scanned more than once?
Yes, you can scan the same pack again. If you see the same serial number printed on several different boxes, that is a warning sign, because every genuine pack should carry its own serial.
Is MehfoozDawa.pk the official DRAP website?
No. MehfoozDawa.pk is an independent information website. We read the code on your pack, ask DRAP's public track and trace system and show you the answer in plain language. The official portal is drugtrace.dra.gov.pk.
Do you store my photos or my scans?
Photos and the camera feed never leave your phone. The code is decoded on your device and only the four numbers (GTIN, batch, serial and expiry) are sent so the check can be made. We do not link scans to you.