Lahore Drug Court Orders Urgent Regulation of Infant Formula Products

On May 9, 2025, Lahore’s Drug Court issued a landmark ruling directing authorities to urgently regulate the manufacturing, sale, and quality of baby milk, baby food, infant formula, and related products. The court highlighted significant gaps in oversight, noting that no Drug Testing Laboratory (DTL) in Pakistan is currently equipped to analyze the quality of these products. Despite existing laws such as the Drugs Act 1940 and the Drug Regulatory Authority of Pakistan (DRAP) Act 2012, there has been no clear mechanism for testing or regulating these products. The court emphasized that substandard products have been linked to malnutrition, weakened immunity, developmental delays, digestive disorders, and contamination, all posing serious risks to infant health. The court directed DRAP, the Director General of Drugs Control Punjab, and the Secretary of the Provincial Quality Control Board to draft legislation and establish testing and regulatory mechanisms for baby food products, with a deadline to submit progress reports by June 16, 2025. Copies of the order have been sent to relevant federal and provincial officials.