ISLAMABAD: Federal Minister for National Health Services Saira Afzal Tarar on Wednesday welcomed the decision of the federal cabinet to fix the maximum retail price of essential and life-saving drugs.
“This will ensure availability of life saving drugs in the market,” said the minister over the approval taken in accordance with the drug pricing policy.
She said the federal cabinet approved maximum retail prices of drugs in accordance with the provisions of the Drug Pricing Policy 2015 to lower prices as demanded by the manufacturers or importers.
This will ensure availability of new therapies for patients suffering from Hepatitis B and C, patients on dialysis, umbilical cord infections in new born babies, and vaccines for Diphtheria, pertussis and tetanus, and well as other diseases such as major depression, anxiety, ulcers, epilepsy, psoriasis, diabetes, hypertension, allergy, gastrointestinal pain, sickle cell anaemia, rickets disease and scurvy, deficiency iron, calcium, vitamins, minerals and electrolytes, diarrhoea, bone osteoporosis, viral, fungal and bacterial infection, skin infections, asthma, pulmonary obstructive disease, lung injections, burnt skin infections, parkinsons, rhinitis, haemorrhoids, hypertension, psychosis, dry eyes, diabetic insipidus, vertigo, prevention of bleeding, smoking cessation therapies, anaesthesia, vomiting in cancer patients, blood volume expansion, bone osteoporosis, contraception, anaemia and fertility at affordable prices.
The minister said the decision will allow marketing of new drugs, which will not only ensure availability of new treatments for life threatening diseases, but also increase competition for already available therapies in the market.
“We consider access to quality and affordable drugs as the right of every Pakistani and we will continue to strive to this end,” she said.
The prices of 113 new drugs had been recommended by the Drug Pricing Committee represented by health departments of all provinces, Ministry of Finance, Drug Regulatory Authority of Pakistan.
