Govt orders review of drug pricing formula to ensure fair medicine prices

ISLAMABAD: The government has ordered a review of the existing drug pricing formula to ensure medicines remain fairly priced, warning against unjustified price increases that could burden patients.

Economic Affairs Minister Ahad Cheema, while chairing a meeting of the Drug Regulatory Authority of Pakistan (Drap), directed officials to speed up pending drug-pricing cases after being informed that their individual assessments were nearly complete.

Cheema appreciated the progress made by Drap officials and Climate Change Minister Dr Musadik Malik in evaluating the pending cases. Health Secretary Momin Agha, Drap CEO Dr Obaidullah Malik and other senior officials also attended the meeting.

Officials informed the meeting that sufficient quantities of the trivalent influenza vaccine recommended by the World Health Organisation (WHO) were available in the market. Drap had also withdrawn the vaccine’s hardship case, as its prices were controlled internationally.

The meeting was told that Drap was reviewing the current pricing formula and examining provisions that could prevent the fair and accurate determination of medicine prices.

Cheema proposed subscribing to specialised international drug-price databases to improve independent assessments and provide reliable benchmarks for pricing decisions.

He stressed that public convenience must remain the government’s priority and said medicine prices should not increase without valid justification.

While acknowledging the importance of comparing medicine prices with those in other countries, the minister emphasised independent oversight and a people-centred pricing system that avoids unnecessary obstacles for patients, importers and pharmaceutical companies.