Pakistan clears pricing for 52 life-saving drugs to end patient reliance on smuggled medicines

A federal cabinet subcommittee in Islamabad has given the green light for pricing of 52 newly registered life-saving drugs, a move aimed at curbing the illegal trade of medicines and expanding patient access to essential treatments. The meeting, chaired by Finance Minister Senator Muhammad Aurangzeb, approved prices for a range of advanced therapies including cancer immunotherapy Keytruda, diabetes drugs, and treatments for haemophilia and Parkinson’s disease.

Officials confirmed that the approved list also includes Nivolumab, Dasatinib, Meropenem, and various insulin formulations. These medicines had been stuck in a pricing bottleneck, preventing them from entering the legal market and forcing patients to turn to unregistered or smuggled alternatives at inflated costs.

Health Ministry representatives stated that the early clearance is crucial to address the chronic shortage of affordable, regulated medicines. The pricing decision will now proceed to the federal cabinet for final endorsement, after which the Drug Regulatory Authority of Pakistan (DRAP) will issue an official price notification, legally clearing these drugs for marketing and sale.

Finance Minister Aurangzeb emphasized the need for transparency and a fair pricing mechanism that balances affordability for patients with the sustainability of drug supply. Authorities believe this step will significantly reduce dependence on illegal supply channels and ensure high-quality treatments through authorized healthcare providers.

Article and image source: minutemirror.com.pk