KARACHI – The federal government on Monday approved the pricing of 35 essential and life-saving medicines in an effort to address ongoing shortages that have disrupted patient care across Pakistan.
The officials said pricing for another 45 medicines is likely to be finalised soon, which is expected to further improve the availability of critical treatments.
According to the sources, the delays in price fixation over the past two years had affected the supply of several key medicines, forcing patients to either go without treatment or rely on expensive and unregulated alternatives.
Federal Health Minister Syed Mustafa Kamal took up the matter with the federal cabinet and briefed Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on the urgent need to ensure access to essential medicines.
The officials said the delay in approvals had disrupted supply chains and posed risks to patients requiring uninterrupted treatment. The medicines include therapies used for cancer, organ transplants, cardiovascular diseases and vaccines such as typhoid, polio and pneumococcal.
They added that the shortage had particularly affected patients suffering from chronic and life-threatening conditions, leaving many dependent on informal sources, raising concerns over safety and quality.
The Pakistan Pharmaceutical Manufacturers’ Association welcomed the decision, terming it a timely step to resolve a long-standing issue affecting patient care.
The association said delays in pricing approvals had limited the availability of essential and advanced medicines, disrupted the formal supply chain and increased reliance on smuggled drugs.
The officials maintained that essential medicines will remain under government price control, while the pricing of non-essential medicines continues under a deregulated policy.
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