Govt decides to take action against illegal hike in medicines’ prices

ISLAMABAD: The federal government has decided to launch a countrywide crackdown against the illegal hike in medicines prices, said sources.

Minister for National Health Services Aamer Mehmood Kiani on Tuesday sought report from Drug Regulatory Authority of Pakistan (DRAP) about the illegal hike in medicines prices.

Sources said that the federal government was mulling different options against the pharmaceutical companies over illegal hike in prices. They said that Aamer Mehmood Kiani directed DRAP to provide details about the companies that were charging extra money from the patients.

The sources said that government was also mulling to order the pharmaceutical companies to refund the extra money charged from the consumers.

Earlier, the Drug Regulatory Authority of Pakistan (DRAP) on January 11, had announced to hike prices of medicines by up to 15 per cent.

A spokesperson for DRAP had termed the hike to be in larger interest of the country and patients.

He had said the increase in medicine prices was inevitable owing to various reasons. “The dollar increased by 30 per cent over the last year, which led to an increae in prices of raw material and packaging.”

Besides, the spokesperson had said, the increase in gas and electricity prices, employees’ salaries and additional duty put extra burden on the pharmaceutical industry. The prices had to be revised to keep up with the cost incurred on the manufacturing of medicines, he had added.