The cost of medicine in Pakistan is expected to rise further after the Drug Regulatory Authority of Pakistan (DRAP) allowed pharmaceutical companies to set the prices for 50 percent of all drugs, ARY News reported.
DRAP CEO Dr. Ubaid Ullah confirmed that following the deregulation, pharmaceutical firms now have the authority to determine prices for half of all medicines. This move has raised concerns about affordability, as the cost of essential medicine for heart disease, diabetes, cancer, mental health issues, and other critical ailments is already high.
Officials at DRAP also noted that nearly 70 percent of prescriptions are unnecessary. This practice forces patients to spend an estimated Rs 50 billion annually on medicines they may not need. Experts suggest that a nexus exists between doctors and pharmaceutical companies, where doctors are incentivized to prescribe expensive brand-name medicine, often through sponsored trips or other benefits, maximizing profits for firms at the expense of patients.
The deregulation means that pharmaceutical companies can now increase prices of vital drugs, which could place an even heavier financial burden on patients, particularly those from low-income households. Healthcare experts warn that this could make essential treatment unaffordable for many, worsening public health outcomes.
To address this issue, authorities suggest requiring doctors to prescribe medicines by their generic names rather than specific brands. This approach would allow patients to buy the most affordable version of the required medicine, reducing costs and limiting exploitation by pharmaceutical companies.
The government’s intervention is seen as crucial to prevent a further surge in medicine prices and to protect patients from unnecessary financial strain. Public advocacy groups are urging regulators to implement stricter guidelines to ensure medicine remains accessible and affordable for all Pakistanis.
Without timely measures, experts warn that the financial burden of purchasing essential medicine could escalate, making healthcare increasingly inaccessible for vulnerable populations.
In other news read more about: DRAP’s Major Crackdown Exposed Medicines Being Sold at Five Times Higher Price
