Despite the special directives from Prime Minister Imran Khan and the Drug Regulatory Authority of Pakistan (DRAP), pharmaceutical companies have refused to bring down medicine prices across the country.
CEO DRAP, Asim Rauf, revealed this while briefing a National Assembly Sub-Committee on Health on Tuesday. He said that instead of slashing the prices, 15 medicine companies have moved to court against the directives of the drug regulator.
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Their monopoly in the market is so strong that the orders of the premier were also ignored in this regard.
The representatives of medicine companies also refused to brief the National Assembly’s sub-committee on the issue. Despite the summon notice, no representative from the Pakistan Pharmaceutical Manufacturers Association (PPMA) bothered to attend the meeting.
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When asked as to why the prices had still not gone down despite premier’s orders, Asim Rauf informed the committee that 15 pharma companies had obtained a stay order from the Sindh High Court.
PPP MNA Ramesh Lal pointed out that various renowned pharmacies in Islamabad are looting people by selling high-priced medicines, but the administration is not paying attention. He called for action against such medical stores.
