The Drug Regulatory Authority of Pakistan (DRAP), the federal body that regulates medicines, is reviewing the drug pricing policy in Pakistan after a high-level meeting in Islamabad on 26 October, with officials saying pending pricing cases are almost finished on a case-by-case basis.
Federal Minister for Economic Affairs and Establishment Division Senator Ahad Cheema chaired the session to examine those backlog cases and the current pricing formula. According to a Ministry of Economic Affairs statement, officials briefed that the case-by-case evaluation is nearly complete. Cheema welcomed the progress and directed relevant officials to send the cases on for further processing.
What DRAP is examining
Officials said DRAP is also reviewing the existing drug-pricing formula and looking at clauses that may get in the way of setting fair and accurate prices. The meeting did not announce a new medicine price list or any single percentage change applying to all drugs.
Cheema asked DRAP to consider buying subscriptions to specialised drug-pricing databases so assessments can be more independent. He said comparisons with other countries can offer useful benchmarks, but stressed independent checks and balances. Public facilitation, he said, is a top priority, and price increases without valid justification are unacceptable.
Flu vaccine hardship case withdrawn
The meeting was told that the trivalent flu vaccine recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO) is available in sufficient quantities in the market. DRAP has withdrawn the hardship case linked to that vaccine because its prices are controlled in the international market.
People-centred formula, no extra hurdles
Cheema stressed that the pricing formula should be people-centred and should not create unnecessary hurdles for importers or the pharmaceutical sector. He also acknowledged work by Federal Minister for Climate Change Dr Musadik Malik and DRAP officials on completing the evaluation. Those present included Dr Musadik Malik, Secretary Health Momin Agha, DRAP CEO Dr Obaidullah, and other senior officials.
How any revised drug pricing policy in Pakistan would change individual tablet or syrup rates will depend on later processing of the pending cases and on whatever formula changes DRAP eventually adopts. For now, the message from the meeting is closer scrutiny of backlog files and of rules that may distort fair pricing—not an immediate, across-the-board rewrite of consumer rates.
Aasan alfaaz mein
Sarkar ne DRAP ke saath dawaon ki qeematon ke qawaid ka jaiza liya hai. Pending pricing cases ka case-by-case review lagbhag mukammal ho chuka hai, lekin abhi koi naya overall rate list announce nahi hua. Flu vaccine ka hardship case wapas le liya gaya hai kyunke stock kafi hai. Wazeer ne kaha ke be-wajah qeemat barhana qabool nahi, aur formula awam ke liye asaan hona chahiye.
