DRAP suggests 38 pc reduction in Remdesivir injection price: sources

ISLAMABAD: Drug Regulatory Authority of Pakistan (DRAP) has suggested a 38 per cent cut in 100 mg Remdesivir injection price and recommended to set its price up to Rs5,680, sources told ARY News on Tuesday.

The federal government has decided to approve a major reduction in prices of Remdesivir injection used to treat COVID-19 patients as a summary was sent to the federal cabinet by the health ministry, sources privy to the development told ARY News.

The federal cabinet is likely to approve the summary for making a cut in the injection’s price up to Rs3,564.

Read: ‘NCOC finalised recommendations for procurement of COVID-19 vaccine’

According to the DRAP summary, it has been recommended to fix the price up to Rs5,680 for a vial of 100 mg Remdesivir injection following a decline in its rate globally. Earlier, the federal cabinet had fixed its price up to Rs10,873 on June 16.

The summary prepared by DRAP policy board on November 9 stated that the authority had decreased its price up to Rs9,244 from Rs10,873 on August 17, as of now, the price of Remdesivir injection falls from $50 to $35 globally.

Prime Minister Imran Khan summoned a session of the federal cabinet today in order to discuss a 14-point agenda which includes mulling over the reduction in injections’ prices for COVID-19 patients, as well as reviewed notification regarding rates of medicines, it was learnt earlier in the day.