Karachi: After decades of unofficial prohibition and reliance on black-market imports, erectile dysfunction (ED) drugs including Sildenafil (commonly known as Viagra) and Tadalafil (marketed globally as Cialis) are now being locally manufactured in Pakistan, following formal approval granted by the Drug Regulatory Authority of Pakistan (DRAP) in February this year.
Officials said that Pakistani men suffering from ED no longer need to depend on smuggled or counterfeit pills from India, China, and Europe, as several local pharmaceutical companies have begun producing and marketing these drugs under regulatory oversight.
DRAP’s Drug Registration Board granted licenses to 10–12 pharmaceutical companies after conducting detailed audits and Product Specific Inspections (PSI) of their manufacturing facilities. The approved strengths include 25 mg, 50 mg, and 100 mg for Sildenafil, and 5 mg, 10 mg, and 20 mg for Tadalafil.
One of the first companies to receive this approval and launch its products is Genix Pharma, which has started marketing Sildenafil in all three strengths. Officials from DRAP confirmed that the decision marks a major policy shift and is expected to curb the thriving black market for ED drugs.
Tauqeer-ul-Haq, Chairman of the Pakistan Pharmaceutical Manufacturers Association (PPMA), said that the availability of legal and affordable ED treatment was a relief for patients who previously suffered in silence.
“Many men were falling into depression due to the lack of access to treatment,” he noted, adding that the move will eliminate unregistered and counterfeit products from the market.
Abdul Samad Budhani, Chairman of the Pakistan Chemists and Druggists Association (PCDA), also welcomed the development, calling it a long-awaited step. “Genix Pharma has become the first company to legally market these drugs in Pakistan, offering them at reasonable prices,” he said.
Abdul Samad Budhani added that pharmacists often faced problems when patients demanded smuggled ED pills, which were then confiscated by drug inspectors. “Now that Genix Pharma and others are producing these drugs locally, this issue will finally be resolved.”
Until recently, Pakistan and Afghanistan were among the only countries in the world with an unofficial ban on local manufacturing of Viagra and its generics. As a result, millions of unregulated tablets were smuggled into Pakistan annually from India, Thailand, the UAE, and other countries. These products often contained inaccurate or fake ingredients, posing serious health risks.
Healthcare professionals, however, cautioned that ED drugs should only be taken with medical advice.
“PDE5 inhibitors like Sildenafil redirect blood flow and can be dangerous for patients with cardiovascular conditions,” warned Sardar Shabbir Ahmed, a senior pharmacist and Secretary of the Quality Control Board of Islamabad’s health department. “These medicines must not be used without supervision.”
Beyond benefiting patients, the local manufacturing of ED medicines is also expected to stimulate Pakistan’s pharmaceutical sector. Several firms are already seeking export licenses, while others will cater to the domestic market under DRAP’s oversight.
During its 345th meeting, DRAP’s Drug Registration Board also approved new drugs for cancer, diabetes, hypertension, and other non-communicable diseases, as part of a broader policy to strengthen the local pharma industry.
With this policy shift, Pakistan joins the ranks of countries offering safe, regulated ED treatments—bringing relief to patients and putting an end to decades of black-market dependency.
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