Medicine Prices Likely to Increase in Pakistan

Prices of non-essential medicines in Pakistan are expected to increase as the Federal Government has allowed pharmaceutical companies to set their own prices.

In a notification issued by the Federal Cabinet on Tuesday, the Government has deregulated the prices of non-essential medicines from the Ministry of Health.

However, the pharmaceutical companies are still now allowed to regulate prices of 464 medicines mentioned on the National Essential List (NEML).

The Drug Regulatory Authority of Pakistan (DRAP) would continue to oversee the pricing of live-saving medications.

It’s worth noting that earlier this month, the Federal Cabinet endorsed a rise in the prices of 146 live-saving medicines in Pakistan.

Additionally, the Ministry of National Health Services and DRAP have encouraged citizens to report medicine shortages in the market via the authority’s online platform.