DRAP Deregulation Likely to Raise Medicine Prices in Pakistan

KARACHI: Medicine prices in Pakistan are expected to rise further after the Drug Regulatory Authority of Pakistan (DRAP) allowed pharmaceutical companies to set prices for half of all medicines. The CEO of DRAP, Dr. Ubaid Ullah, confirmed that this new policy gives pharmaceutical companies the authority to determine prices for 50% of the drug market.

This move has raised serious concerns, as the cost of essential medicines for conditions such as heart disease, diabetes, and cancer are already unaffordable for many patients. With deregulation in place, the financial burden on the public, particularly the poor, is likely to increase.

Moreover, DRAP officials have acknowledged that doctors prescribe unnecessary medicines in about 70% of cases. This leads to an additional Rs 50 billion in costs for patients annually. Many suspect a nexus between doctors and pharmaceutical companies, where companies incentivize doctors to prescribe more expensive drugs.

Reports suggest that pharmaceutical companies sponsor doctors’ trips abroad to encourage them to recommend specific, higher-priced brands. This practice contributes to increased profits for companies but leaves patients struggling to afford their treatments.

To address this issue, experts suggest that the government intervene by mandating doctors to prescribe medicines by their generic names. This would allow patients to buy the most affordable versions of the required medications, offering some relief to the public.

READ MORE : ISLAMABAD: DRAP orders crackdown on illegal medicines and devices.

The Drug Regulatory Authority of Pakistan (DRAP) has directed provincial governments to launch a crackdown on illegal medicines and medical devices following revelations of unauthorised imported products being used in hospitals, according to ARY News.

In a move to curb the circulation of unapproved medical products, DRAP has sent letters to all four provinces, Azad Jammu and Kashmir, and Gilgit-Baltistan. These directives emphasise action against individuals and entities involved in the sale, use, or import of unauthorised medicines and surgical instruments.