A parliamentary panel has expressed serious concerns over a massive increase in medicine prices and recommended for reasonable reduction in prices.
The sub-committee of the National Assembly standing committee on National Health Services, Regulations and Coordination met with Dr. Nisar Ahmad Cheema in the chair.
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The committee observed that drugs are no longer affordable for common men due to the massive hike recently.
The parliamentary panel met to discuss and evaluate the performance of the Drug Regulatory Authority of Pakistan (DRAP) with a focus on quality assessment of raw materials and end products, registration of pharmaceutical companies, and drug and pricing of drugs.
Committee members stated that currently, medicines are out of the reach of the poor people. Immediate action is required to reduce medicine prices.
The committee observed that the standard of DRAP needs to be upgraded at par with international standards. There is room for further improvement in DRAP affairs, parliamentarians recommended.
The committee observed that the drug’s entire value chain needs to be made at par with international standards by following all Standard Operating Procedure (SOPs) in the import of raw materials and plants.
The Parliamentary Secretary informed the committee that the government has allowed the private sector to import corona vaccines. However, only the importers who can afford the vaccine can import it.
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The Parliamentary Sectary further informed the committee that the government would provide the vaccine free-of-cost. The panel decided to meet again and further deliberate on the pending issues.
