Govt directs DRAP to take action against companies selling medicines on exorbitant prices
Government would ensure availability of medicines and other equipment at the PIMS
ISLAMABAD (Dunya News) – Federal Minister for Health Amir Kiani on Sunday said that the issue of increase in the prices of medicines will be resolved soon as the federal government had taken strict action against pharmaceutical companies for unauthorized increase in the prices of medicines.
Addressing a press conference in Islamabad, he made it clear that some unscrupulous elements in the pharma industry would not be allowed to increase prices of their drugs over and above the approved maximum retail prices (MRPs) by the federal government.
The minister said that the federal government had issued clear directions to Drug Regulatory Authority of Pakistan (DRAP) to take strict action against pharmaceutical companies selling medicines on exorbitant prices, adding that regulatory authority had suspended production of 143 medicines of 31 manufacturers due to overpricing in the market.
During the ongoing crackdown on unauthorized increase in the prices of medicines, the Authority had seized the stocks of 226 medicines of 59 companies, he added.
The minister said the prices of medicines were increased by the government on the basis of Drug Pricing Policy, which was approved by the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) government. He, however, said the pharma industry was bound to increase prices by only nine percent as approved by the government on 889 medicines and warned of stern action on their illegal price increase.
He added that the DRAP had allowed only nine percent MRPs increase in hardship category and only 15 percent MRPs increase of medicines determined under the Drug Pricing Policy, 2018 for drugs other than those specified in clause (a).
The minister said action had also been taken on receiving various complaints that pharmaceutical companies had increased prices of their drugs over and above the maximum retail price (MRPs) approved by the federal government.
He said the ministry had also directed DRAP to conduct market surveys for determination of overpricing. DRAP had been advised to monitor MRPs in the market to ensure that the same were not higher than the notified prices.
Kiani said the government had dispatched so far 2.2 million health cards to the deserving people. He said that 65,000 health cards were being printed on daily basis.
“The government would ensure availability of medicines and other equipment at the Pakistan institute of Medical Sciences to serve the patients,” he said.
