Prices of new life-saving drugs likely to be fixed this month

ISLAMABAD: Prices for as many as 52 life-saving drugs are likely to be fixed this month following a scheduled meeting between Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, the Federal Minister for Health, and officials from the Drug Regulatory Authority of Pakistan (DRAP), ARY News reported.

Sources said the Prime Minister, Federal Minister for Health Syed Mustafa Kamal, Federal Minister for Finance Muhammad Aurangzeb, and the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of DRAP will hold a meeting on Monday.

During the meeting, officials will brief the Prime Minister on hardship cases and the pricing of new drugs.

Sources noted that the meeting’s primary objective is to secure the premier’s support for pricing 52 new drugs and resolving hardship cases.

The Cabinet’s Drug Pricing Committee and DRAP have already determined the maximum retail prices for the new medications, and both the DRAP Policy Board and the pricing committee have approved them.

While the Cabinet’s Drug Pricing Committee approved the new drugs on July 24, hardship cases involving roughly 100 medicines for various diseases remain pending final approval.

Sources added that DRAP will issue an official notification for the new drug prices once Cabinet approval is granted.

The new medications are intended to treat cancer, diabetes, hemophilia, autoimmune disorders, and critical illnesses requiring intensive care.

Prices of new life saving drugs likely to be fixed current month