NAB intervenes to control price of drug

Summons officials for a briefing over reports on the surging prices of ACTEMRA vials.

LAHORE:

Lahore National Accountability Bureau (NAB)’s Awareness and Prevention wing has called officials from Punjab Healthcare Commission (PHC) and Drugs Regularity Authority of Pakistan (DRAP) for a briefing over reports on the surging prices of ACTEMRA vials.

Reportedly, the sale of said injections in black market had reached Rs500,000. The briefing was called by Lahore NAB under the NAO Sections 27 & 33 (C) which was presided by Lahore NAB officials.

It was told in the briefing that during mid-2020, the price of ACTEMRA vial was fixed at Rs50,000 by the government.

Read Pharmacy firms accused of money laundering

However, soon after fixing prices in July 2020, the vial shortage started being reported at different circles, ultimately, the prices of said vial had gone up much higher allegedly through black market, reaching Rs500,000 per vial.

The visiting delegation also briefed that due to the unavailability of raw material, it would not be possible for the vial producing company to continue their supplies until December and resultantly the same was currently suspended.

Published in The Express Tribune, September 4^th, 2021.