The prices of 146 life-saving medicines have been increased
The prices of 146 life-saving medicines have been increased by the government, notification has been issued. The control of the federal government and the Drug Regulatory Authority over the prices of drugs also ended. Now pharmaceutical companies and distributors will be able to set the prices of medicines as they wish.
On the one hand, the federal government has announced the end of control over the prices of medicines, while on the other hand, it has increased the prices of 146 medicines. Most medicines have been hiked by 20 to 70 percent, with some doubling and quadrupling the price of some.
These include TB, blood pressure, fever, heart disease, body aches, children’s vaccines, and drugs used in surgery. The federal cabinet had approved to increase in the prices of these medicines two weeks ago. The notification was issued by the Ministry of National Health.
On the other hand, the supervisory federal cabinet approved the removal of government controls on drug prices. In the future, 98 percent of drug prices will be authorized by pharmaceutical companies themselves. DRAP will have the power to fix the prices of only two percent of essential drugs. After the approval of the federal cabinet, the Ministry of National Health issued a notification. The Federal Cabinet has taken this decision under Section 12 of the Drug Act, 1976.
According to the notification, there will be no government control over the prices of medicines that fall under the category of biological vaccines. Under the Drug Act 1976, the Drug Control Authority and the Ministry of Health were responsible for determining the prices of drugs. It is necessary to pass a bill in Parliament to remove this authority.
