The development came during a meeting chaired by Federal Minister for Economic Affairs and Establishment Division Senator Ahsan Cheema on Monday to review pending cases at the Drug Regulatory Authority of Pakistan (DRAP) and the existing medicine pricing formula.
According to a statement issued by the Ministry of Economic Affairs, the meeting was informed that the case-by-case review of pending drug pricing matters was almost complete.
Cheema appreciated the progress and directed the relevant officials to advance the cases for further action.
Flu Vaccine Availability and Pricing
The meeting was informed that flu vaccines effective against the three virus strains recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO) were available in sufficient quantities in the market.
According to the ministry, DRAP had withdrawn its request for a reduced price determination for the vaccine because its prices were already controlled in the international market.
Review of Medicine Pricing Formula
Officials informed the meeting that DRAP was reviewing the existing formula for determining medicine prices and identifying factors that could hinder fair and accurate pricing.
Cheema also directed the authority to consider obtaining subscriptions to specialised pharmaceutical pricing databases to support independent and more reliable assessments of medicine prices.
The federal minister said providing relief to the public was the government’s top priority and that unjustified price increases would not be acceptable.
He added that comparing medicine prices with those in other countries could provide a better benchmark. However, he stressed that an independent assessment and monitoring system was also necessary for the pricing process.
Cheema emphasised that the medicine pricing formula should be developed with the public interest in mind while avoiding unnecessary barriers for importers and the pharmaceutical sector.
The meeting focused on reviewing pending drug pricing cases, assessing the existing pricing mechanism and improving the basis for determining medicine prices in Pakistan.
