How to Report a Medicine Shortage to DRAP in Pakistan
Report a missing medicine to DRAP through its public shortage form or the drugshortages email. Learn what details to send and where to go if nothing happens.
Short answer: To report a medicine that is missing from pharmacies, fill in the public shortage form on the Drug Regulatory Authority of Pakistan (DRAP) website, or email drugshortages@dra.gov.pk. Hospitals use a separate form and the same email. Write the medicine name, strength, brand and the places you checked.
You are at the pharmacy counter. The medicine your parent takes every day is "not available", and the next shop says the same. Most people simply pay more for another brand or go without. DRAP has a channel for exactly this, and few people know it exists.
We read DRAP's Medicine Availability pages on 11 October 2026. This guide sets out what the pages say, what to put in your report and where to go if nothing happens.
DRAP takes shortage reports through a public form and an email address
DRAP's "Public Medicine Shortage Reporting" page asks anyone who notices a missing medicine to fill in an online form, reached by a QR code or a link on the page. It also gives an email address, drugshortages@dra.gov.pk, for reporting a shortage.
The page was last updated on 25 March 2026. DRAP says reporting shortages on time helps it take fast action so that medicines stay available. The form is hosted on Google Forms. When we opened its link without signing in, Google asked us to sign in first, so keep a Google account ready or use the email.
Gather four details before you send the report
Note the medicine's generic name, its strength, the brand you could not find and the shops or hospitals where you looked. Add the city and the date. A clear report lets DRAP match the shortage to a manufacturer and a batch, instead of guessing.
These details are our suggestion. We could not open the DRAP form without signing in, so we cannot list its exact fields. Take a photo of the empty shelf label or the old box if you have it. Do not send a prescription with your name on it unless the form asks for one.
| Detail | Example | Why it helps |
|---|---|---|
| Generic name | The active ingredient on the box | Finds all brands of the same medicine |
| Strength and form | Tablet, syrup or injection, with the number of mg | Separates one product from another |
| Brand you wanted | The name on your old box | Points to the maker |
| Where you checked | Shops or hospitals, city and date | Shows the shortage is wider than one shop |
The steps to report a shortage are short
Open the DRAP public shortage page, use the form link or the QR code, fill in the details and submit. If you prefer, write the same details in an email to drugshortages@dra.gov.pk. Keep a copy of what you sent.
- Check at least two pharmacies, so you know it is a market shortage and not one shop's stock.
- Note the generic name, strength, brand, shops, city and date.
- Open the "Public Medicine Shortage Reporting" page on the DRAP website, under Medicine Availability.
- Scan the QR code or use the link, and fill in the form. Or email drugshortages@dra.gov.pk.
- Save a screenshot or a copy of your email with the date.
Hospitals have their own form and a focal person
DRAP runs a separate Hospital Medicine Shortage Reporting form for healthcare institutions, with the same email address. It also asks each public and private hospital to name a focal person who liaises with DRAP on medicine availability. A patient does not fill these in.
If your hospital's pharmacy is out of stock, ask the staff whether the hospital has reported it to DRAP. The hospital page says DRAP encourages institutions to report observed or expected shortages, so that it can act quickly. You may also want to ask for the name of the hospital's focal person.
A shortage report is not a complaint about price or a fake medicine
The shortage channel is for medicine that cannot be found. A medicine sold above its legal price, or one you think is fake or harmful, goes through other DRAP channels. Using the right one gets a faster answer.
For a price above the legal maximum or an unregistered product, see our guide to checking a medicine's registration and legal price. For a suspected fake, use our guide to reporting counterfeit medicine to DRAP. For a reaction to a medicine, see how to report a side effect.
If DRAP does not respond to a complaint, its Complaints page points to the Pakistan Citizen's Portal mobile app and the Federal Ombudsman's complaint system. Those are for complaints about DRAP's work, and they are a last step.
Safety warning when a medicine is out of stock
Do not swap to another brand or dose on your own, and do not buy from an unknown seller to fill the gap. Ask the doctor or pharmacist to name a safe substitute. Cheap medicine from an unverified seller can be fake.
Use our guide to checking whether a batch has been recalled if a replacement box looks unusual. A shortage report does not give you a medicine. It tells the regulator where the market is short.
Common questions
Where do I report a medicine shortage in Pakistan?
Use the Public Medicine Shortage Reporting form on the DRAP website, or email drugshortages@dra.gov.pk. DRAP's page gives both. We link the page in the sources below.
Does it cost anything to report?
DRAP's page does not mention any fee, and the form is an online form. We found no charge on the page.
Will DRAP reply to my report?
The page does not promise a reply or a time limit. It says reporting on time helps DRAP act fast. Keep a copy of your report in case you need to follow up.
Can a hospital report a shortage too?
Yes. DRAP has a separate Hospital Medicine Shortage Reporting form and the same drugshortages email. It also asks every hospital to nominate a focal person.
Do I need a Google account?
The form is hosted on Google Forms, and when we opened it without signing in, it asked for a Google sign-in. If you do not have an account, send an email instead.
Is a shortage the same as a recall?
No. A shortage means a medicine is not available. A recall means DRAP has asked for a batch to be withdrawn because of a quality problem. See our recall check guide.
How we verified this
What we checked, where we read it, and what we could not confirm.
Last checked on Sunday 11 October 2026. We read DRAP's Public Medicine Shortage Reporting page (updated 25 March 2026), its Hospital Medicine Shortage Reporting page, its Focal Person Nomination page and its Complaints page. We could not open the Google form itself without signing in, so we have not described its fields and did not submit a report.
About the author
Tax, Bills and Technology Writer
Ali Akhtar is a young and curious voice here at Pakistan Era. He is currently pursuing his A-Levels and has a growing interest in Pakistan’s changing industrial landscape and educational trends. Ali likes to write in a way that helps him explain and explore the world around him. His writing reflects the perspective of the new generation navigating the evolving trends of Pakistan where technology, youth innovation, and shifting opportunities are reshaping the country’s future.
