There has been no increase in the prices of drugs since April, Federal Minister for National Regularisation and Services Dr Firdous Ashiq Awan said on Friday.
However, official documents seem to suggest otherwise. According to the documents, the prices of at least 18 life-saving drugs witnessed an increase last month.
Arshad Farooq Fahim, the chief executive officer of Drug Regulatory Authority of Pakistan (DRAP), confirmed the approval, saying that the pricing committee of the ministry had approved 5-10% increase in the price of drugs.
Fahim said only the companies which had maintained their prices for 10 years were allowed to increase their prices. However, sources in the committee revealed that prices of over 80 drugs, including medicines for tuberculosis, had been increased earlier this year.
Earlier, the minister announced that the president will sign the DRAP Act 2012 on November 12.
However, she said the biggest challenge will be its implementation. She stressed on formulation of a uniform policy to control price hikes.
She said the quota allocation for ephedrine will be set by the ANF in collaboration with the ministry. “The issue has affected people as well as the pharmaceutical industry, as around 92 companies increased the prices of drugs.
The ministry has taken action against the companies and asked them to cut the prices. Some of them, however, approached the court, while some are in consultation with the ministry.”
Published in The Express Tribune, November 10th, 2012.
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