Mehfooz Dawa says “Not verified”: what it means and what to do
"Not verified" means DRAP's system could not find a record that matches this exact pack. That is a reason to stop and check, not proof that the medicine is fake. In most cases you can find out which it is in about a minute.
Rule out a bad scan first
- Compare the four detailsThe result shows the GTIN, batch, serial and expiry it read. Check each one against the text printed beside the square code. A single wrong character will fail the check.
- Scan again in better lightGlare from the plastic coating is the most common cause of misreads. Tilt the box and move to brighter light.
- Type the detailsIf the camera keeps misreading, use Type code on the scanner and enter the four details yourself.
Six reasons a genuine pack can fail
| Reason | How to tell |
|---|---|
| Misread code | The details in the result differ from the printed ones. |
| Typing mistake | Zero and letter O, or one and letter I, swapped. |
| Data not uploaded yet | The maker has started printing codes but has not yet uploaded that batch. |
| Older stock | Manufacturing date before the maker joined the programme. |
| System delay or outage | Other packs fail too, or the check times out. |
| Imported product labelling | A foreign code on an imported pack that has not been linked locally. |
When "not verified" is a real warning
Treat the pack as suspicious if the details match exactly and it still fails, and any of these apply:
- Other packs of the same medicine from another pharmacy verify fine.
- The price was much lower than usual.
- The print, seal or tablets look different from your last pack.
- The batch appears in a DRAP recall alert.
- You see the same serial number on more than one box.
Fakes do turn up. DRAP alerts in 2026 alone include tablets labelled as a 500 mg antibiotic that contained 0.00 mg of the active ingredient on testing.
What to do
Do not take it. Ask the pharmacy for a pack from a different batch, keep the suspicious one with its receipt, and report it to DRAP. If you need the medicine urgently, ask your doctor or pharmacist for a safe alternative rather than taking a pack you doubt.
All the results you might see
"Not verified" is one of several messages. Here is what each means in practice.
| Result | Meaning | First step |
|---|---|---|
| Verified | The serial, batch and product match DRAP's record | Compare name, batch and expiry with the box |
| Not verified / not found | No matching record for these details | Re-check the four details, then follow this guide |
| Recalled | The batch has been withdrawn | Stop using it; return it |
| Flagged / blacklisted | The pack or serial is marked unsafe | Stop using it; keep it; report it |
| Expired | The expiry date has passed | Do not use it |
| Inactive or suspended | The product is not currently active in the system | Ask your pharmacist |
| System not responding | DRAP's service did not answer | Try again later or on DRAP's own portal |
A worked example
Ayesha buys antibiotic syrup for her son. The scan comes back "Not verified". She looks at the result: the serial number shown ends in "0B1", but the pack's printed SN ends in "081". The camera misread an 8 as a B. She types the four details by hand and the result is verified, with the right product and batch. Total time: two minutes.
Her neighbour has a different experience. His blood-pressure tablets also fail. He types the details carefully, and they still fail. The carton was manufactured in November 2026, so it should be in the system. He asks the pharmacy for a pack from a different batch, which verifies at once. The first pack goes into a bag with the receipt, and he files a complaint with DRAP. That is the right response in both cases: rule out the simple explanation first, then act.
Typing the details correctly
- GTIN is 14 digits, often starting 0896 for products registered through GS1 Pakistan. If the printed number has 13 digits, the scanner adds a leading zero.
- Serial number under DRAP's guidelines uses only the digits 0 to 9 and letters A to F, and is 12 to 20 characters long. So a letter O is almost certainly a zero, and an I is almost certainly a one.
- Batch must be copied exactly, including leading zeros and any letters.
- Expiry is a date. If only month and year are printed, enter the last day of that month.
What a pharmacist can do for you
Show the failed result to the pharmacist. A good one will scan the pack on their own device, check other packs from the same delivery, and swap your pack for one that verifies. If the whole batch fails, they should stop selling it and contact their supplier. Our pharmacy guide sets out that routine. A shop that waves the result away is not doing its job.
If you have already taken some
Do not panic. A single failed scan is not proof that the medicine is fake, and many failures turn out to be data or reading problems. Keep the pack, stop using it until you have a verified replacement, and watch for anything unusual: the illness not improving, or a new reaction. If either happens, see your doctor and take the pack. For an unexpected reaction, also file a side-effect report.
"Verify nahi ho rahi": kya karein
- Natija dabbay se milayeinScreen par GTIN, batch, serial aur expiry ko dabbay par likhe se milayein.
- Dobara scan kareinAchhi roshni mein, chamak se bach kar.
- Haath se type karein"Type code" par char cheezein likhein.
- Phir bhi fail ho toDawa istemal na karein, doosre batch ka pack lein aur DRAP ko shikayat karein.
Questions people ask
Does "Not verified" mean the medicine is fake?
No. It means DRAP's system could not match the pack. A misread code, a typo, or a batch that the manufacturer has not uploaded yet can all cause it. It does mean you should not take the medicine until you have checked further.
I scanned the same box twice and got different results. Why?
Usually because the first scan misread a character, or the connection to DRAP timed out. Compare the GTIN, batch, serial and expiry shown in the result with what is printed on the box. If they match and the second result is verified, the first was a read error.
The pharmacy says all their stock shows "not verified". Is that normal?
During the rollout, some manufacturers and older stock are not yet in the system. Ask the pharmacist to check another batch of the same medicine. A pharmacy that cannot show any verified pack for a common brand deserves a second look.
Why does a new medicine pack show not verified?
The most common reasons are a misread or mistyped character, a batch the manufacturer has not uploaded yet, or a temporary system problem. If the details match exactly and another pack of the same medicine verifies, treat the failing pack as suspect and report it.
Can DRAP's system be wrong?
Like any database it can have gaps, especially in the early months of a new system. That is why the advice is to check the details, try another pack and report rather than assume the worst immediately.
Mehfooz Dawa not verified ka matlab kya hai?
Iska matlab hai ke DRAP ke system mein is pack ka record nahin mila. Har baar yeh nakli dawa nahin hoti; pehle tafseel dobara check karein.
