Pakistan’s medicine prices are soaring, placing essential and lifesaving drugs out of reach for many low- and middle-income citizens, according to Prof. Dr. Bilal Mohyuddin, a senior cardiologist with the Pakistan Cardiac Society (PCS).
Speaking at the 53rd Cardiocon 2024 conference, Prof. Mohyuddin highlighted steep increases in drug prices, some exceeding 100%, without the support of national health insurance to offset these rising costs.
The price of drotaverine, an antispasmodic, rose by 218%, with similar hikes affecting antibiotics and basic cough syrups. Prof. Mohyuddin emphasized that these costs make healthcare increasingly unaffordable for most Pakistanis, especially after recent deregulation under the caretaker government.
“Escalating prices are a critical barrier to achieving universal healthcare access,” he remarked. Prof. Mohyuddin also criticized pharmaceutical companies, noting that while companies in developed countries often cite research and development (R&D) to justify high prices, similar investments are rare in Pakistan.
He argued that the bulk of revenues go toward marketing and administrative costs rather than developing new treatments. Citing a study from the British Medical Journal, he stated, “Most new drugs from leading firms offer minimal clinical improvement.”
Globally, drug prices are under scrutiny as well. In the U.S., prices for new drugs have soared from $1,400 in 2008 to $150,000 in 2021. Even widely used medications like insulin have seen drastic price increases. Prof. Mohyuddin underscored that unchecked pricing practices and limited competition allow companies to set high prices without justification.
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