SHC turns down plea by drug manufacturing companies for interim relief

KARACHI: The Sindh High Court (SHC) on Tuesday refused to grant interim relief sought by drug manufacturing companies over raids by drug inspector in the wake of medicines’ price hike, ARY News reported.

During the hearing, the court remarked that it couldn’t stop drug inspectors from raids without hearing their version.

The manufacturers said drug inspectors were seizing their stock on pretext of price hike. “They have stopped us from medicines’ production, said the petitioners.

Read: DRAP launches crackdown against firms over illegal medicine price hike

Drug inspectors, when questioned by the court, said action was underway countrywide and it was not just related to one city.

They said the drug manufacturing companies increased prices of medicines to a large extent and in violation of the rules. They informed that the matter was also raised by the Drug Regulatory Authority of Pakistan (DRAP) and it’s also subjudice in another court.

The SHC bench said the matter could be looked once decision of a similar pending case was announced.

On April 6, the Drug Regulatory Authority of Pakistan had launched a countrywide crackdown against the pharmaceutical companies over unauthorised and illegal hike in prices of medicines.

Minister for Health Aamir Kiani took notice of medicines being sold at high prices and directed the regulator to act against the pharma companies for illegally increasing the prices.

As many as 143 medicines being sold at inflated rates were seized while the pharmaceutical companies involved in illegal and authorised hike in prices of medicine were fined and barred from producing medicines until further orders.