Prices of 52 new medicines likely to be fixed soon

ISLAMABAD: An important development has emerged regarding the prices of 52 new medicines approved by the Drug Regulatory Authority of Pakistan (DRAP) for life-saving treatment.

The prices of the 52 new life-saving medicines are likely to be fixed this month. Sources said that a meeting between Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, the Health Minister and DRAP officials has been scheduled.

According to sources, the Prime Minister will meet with the Ministers for Health and Finance and the CEO of DRAP tomorrow. The meeting will include a briefing on hardship cases and the pricing of 52 new medicines.

Sources said the purpose of the meeting is to seek the Prime Minister’s support regarding the 52 new medicines and pending hardship cases.

The newly approved medicines are intended for the treatment of serious conditions including cancer, diabetes, haemophilia, autoimmune disorders, critical-care conditions, severe infections, blood disorders and emergency medical conditions.

The DRAP Policy Board and Pricing Committee have already approved the 52 new medicines while the Cabinet Drug Pricing Committee approved them on July 24. Sources said that the Cabinet Pricing Committee and DRAP have also determined the maximum prices for the new medicines.

Meanwhile, hardship cases involving around 100 medicines for various diseases are still pending. Sources said that once approval is granted by the Cabinet, DRAP will issue an official notification regarding the prices of the new medicines.