LHC seeks DRAP reply in plea challenging medicines’ price hike

LAHORE: The Lahore High Court (LHC) on Friday directed Drug Regulatory Authority of Pakistan (DRAP) to submit its reply, in a plea challenging the recent increase in medicines’ prices.

Justice Ameer Bhatti of the LHC took up the petition filed by Nadeem Sarwar Advocate against jacking up the prices of the medicines.

Sarwar, in his petition has made the provincial Health Department and the Government of Punjab as party in the case.

The petitioner dubbing the hike in prices of medicines as illegal said that no new formula determined for fixation of the drugs prices. And without a price formula the prices could not be fixed.

The petitioner pleaded to the court to declare the DRAP notification as null and void and also order for determination of a formula to fix prices.

Earlier, the authority had announced to hike prices of medicines by up to 15 percent a spokesperson for DRAP 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 increase in prices of raw material and packaging.”

Besides, the increase in gas and electricity prices, employees’ salaries and additional duty put extra burden on the pharmaceutical industry, the spokesperson said.